At the End of a Long Escape
by FashionFable
Summary: Anthology. Mainly a Jake and Sherry series. Latest chapter is the start of a RE 6.5 story. Other RE1-RE6 Revelations characters included. Action/Romance/Drama: Chapter 1 for full descriptions. Story index for ease of navigation. T/M for Action, Language, Romance, Adult Situations, Violence, Awkward Silences.
1. Just a poor boy I need no sympathy

**Book 1: At the End of a Long Escape**

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**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

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**Book Descriptions:**

**#1 Jake's Prequel to RE6. Last part needs a rewrite for being overwritten by mistake.**

**#2 Takes place during the events of RE6, Recap: Jake and Sherry hate each other but each is a liability. After being kidnapped, each realize they have become closer to one another with their shared life changing experience. ****Last part needs a rewrite for being overwritten by mistake.**

**#3 Takes place after the death of Ustinak but before Jake's campaign ending: Jake and Sherry have three days before they must part ways. With three destinations and new found feelings for each other, Jake and Sherry tie up lose ends in their past, looking forward to their futures.**

**#4 Takes place after Jake's secret ending: JakexSherryxSheva a bit of a love triangle, action story. Jake finds purpose in life destroying his father's legacy. He comes across a rogue BSAA agent working on her own to do the same. Jake agrees to help her rescue her superior only to find out they share more similarities than he wanted to discover. How will Jake deal with the woman who killed his father after knowing the same man killed Sheva's own parents? Jake questions his feelings only to cross paths with Sherry again.  
**

**#5 Sherry finds herself in Egypt. Unable to go on with her life after Jake is KIA, she searches for any leads to her lost lover. Is Jake alive and will she be able to resist the changes in her body from the G-Virus?**

**#6 Jake and Leon go on the hunt for Ada Wong. They need to get all the information she holds about the G-Virus and the ware-about of Chimerys, leader of "Vox Populi, Vox Dei." Can they find a cure for Sherry's new self, G?**

**#7 Jake accidentally saves the life of a DSO desk agent in Spain. She is the daughter of the re-elected President of the United States. Sherry is the agent sent to rescue her before the BSAA makes a second attempt to secure the area, opening old wounds between them.**

**#8 Jake is on the run from the BSAA, NATO and the UN as he is framed for involvement in Bio-Terrorism. Sherry compromises her mission when their paths cross, complicating her own issues with her DNA being in the C-Virus. Despite all that has happened between them, Jake has decided to help her complete her drug investigation mission. A new virus outbreak occurs in Russia linked to the street drug.**

**#9 RE6.5, Starts with Jake and Sherry. It all boils down to a new life for Jake and Sherry but how long can they survive against all odds? Resident Evil 6.5. Will feature the following surviving main cast members from RE1-RE6 + RE-Revelations (Jake M., Sherry B., Leon S. K., Ada W., Chris R., Claire R., Jill V., Parker L., Rebecca C. I. Hunnigan), possible (Jessica S., Sheva A., Josh S., Helena H., Raymond V., Nikolai Z., Albert W.)**

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**I do not own Resident Evil, any of these characters or any musical lyric quotes mentioned. This was not initially written to Queen but I thought the lyrics suited his story as I went along... Sad and beautiful... I decided to title each chapter to parts of Queen's song.  
****This is part one of some fanfics I will be writing featuring Jake a Sherry. I may make them separate stories or continue them. ****This is a prequel to Jake's story, defining my take on Jake (no pun intended). *****Spoiler alert* I know Krauser and Wesker only had a casual working relationship but Krauser did initial seek Wesker out for the virus mutations. I know it's been 6 years since RE5 and Jake was in Brazil 3 years before RE6. Ah well. Getting that out of the way.**

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**_"I'm just a poor boy... I need no sympathy!" Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen_**

Jake Muller was built like a tank. He stood at 6'3 with blue eyes and red hair that could make the carrot-topped _"Anne of Green Gables"_ blush. He had a tongue full of fire and piercing Crayola blue eyes. His heart was colder than permafrost on a Canadian territory's landscape. Badass as the scar on his cheek, he had an insatiable appetite for money and the skills to obtain it. It was what kept him alive.

He was a mercenary. A "soldier of fortune" whose loyalty could be bought and sold to the highest bidder at the flip of a coin. He wasn't always this way...

Jake Muller grew up impoverished. A child prodigy in the musical arts; a self taught pianist that rivaled a young Mozart. His mother was disowned by her family for being with foreigner instead of honoring the arrangement agreed upon before her birth. The rest of her dowry was given to her betroth's family... As compensation for her dishonorable conduct. Jake never met his father; the father that was very reason he had no one else in the world but his mother.

Long before he became a mercenary, his mother fell ill. She struggled to pay for basic necessities, often going hungry for her beloved Jake, the last connection to the one man who she believed loved her. Her only inheritance; her dowry; a finely tuned piano. She taught her son Jake to the best of her ability when she saw him take to it as a toddler... Only to pawn it to support her medical bills and her child's needs. Jake wondered from such young age why his mother always spoke so highly of the father that abandoned them in this poor country. His mother wouldn't be so sick if his father was here to support them. He just knew it!

He cried bitterly that day as they lingered outside the store front in silence, cash in hand. He watched the piano roll to the front window of the antique store. His last connection to a past he did not know. Jake's mother wiped his tears saying there would be better days. He sobbed to her, explaining it was not the loss of his piano. He was angry that his mother could love a man that allowed her to become so ill.

"One day you will meet him, Jake. Your father was very good to me and he gave me my greatest joy... My little Jake. Then," she put her hands on his shoulders and looked deeply into his eyes with a faint smile, "You will see the man he is." Jake averted her gaze. His eyes burned with emotion every time he heard about his father. His mother sighed and pulled him along home.

He was barely a teen when the debts grew larger than the void in his father's footsteps. His mother lay in hospital shortly before they were evicted from their home. He begged and pleaded with the landlord on her behalf but the country was in political unrest. There was nothing they could do. If the debts were not paid his mother would be in prison instead of a hospital. Soon she would be evicted there too.

He slept on the steps of the church, telling his mother he was staying with school friends. She thanked God for the kindness of strangers. Her son would be taken care of even if she did not win her battle with death. Jake cursed God for his birth as he fought back tears in the snowstorm. It was bitterly cold that night. He tugged his jacket over his body as a blanket, the steps warming to his body heat.

He lied to his mother for the first time. There were no friends. There was no money for school. He stole books from his classroom the day he was dismissed.

The church was too full of other refugees to take in a lone boy. He was considered old enough to work in this third world country. Employment was scarce as the war broke out. He used what money he could beg for or steal to pay for mom's bills. She was all he had. She couldn't die! He wouldn't let her!

Jake went to visit his mother. He often came early to sleep in the waiting room of the hospital for warmth and an opportunity to scope out victims. It was still dark outside. An aged man fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette. He was covered in scars and missing his ring and pinkie finger from his left hand. Jake saw a shimmer of gold as the man went to his inside jacket pocket. A thick chain hung loosely around his neck leading to a pocket watch. He watched this old man for over three hours already while pretending to sleep on a bench across the hall. It was not visiting hours yet.

Placing the butt between his lips, the man pulled out a lighter and exited the back doorway to light up. Jake smiled to himself. He wanted to find the perfect victim. Not a hard struggle with a good payout. He was hungry and eaten in days. Jake didn't know what reality was more fearful. The realization of his mother's pending imprisonment if her debts were not paid in full today... or starvation. He sold his jacket for a small payment towards her bills as interest.

He had enough of this sad life. He would sell his soul tonight for his mother's health... and a bite to eat.

The man whistled as he walked down the courtyard of the hospital to a park bench. Jake's hand shook as fumbled for the knife in his pocket; his last possession other than the clothes on his back. It belonged to his father; his only connection besides blood. Jake steadied his breathing as his hand grasped the hilt. He was finalizing his plan; First he would pick this mans pocket. If found nothing he would cut the man's jacket and take that gold pocket watch. If the man resisted... Jake bit down on his bottom lip as he walked seemingly past the man, behind the bench, minding his own business.

Jake threw a stone at a second story window as a makeshift distraction. He slipped his hand in the man's pocket as glass rained down on the bench. It was the wrong pocket to pick that day!

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**"Momma... Just killed a man... Put a gun against his head... Pulled my trigger now he's dead... Momma life had just begun... But now I've gone and thrown it all away... Anywhere the wind blows doesn't really matter to me... To me..." Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen**

Jake smiled genuinely, a grin from ear to ear. He felt bad for the fucker he killed but not much... He didn't know the poor bastard. He was some politician the Edonian people couldn't stand. Jake didn't care for politics. He took a life to save his mother's. The debts were paid. She would be given the medications she needed in the hospital.

He told himself it was a job. It would keep their bellies full, backs clothed, bills paid. Most importantly, his beautiful mother, the only thin that mattered in the world, would be given the care she needed to get well. He would play the piano for her again as she recovered, comforting her. He smiled as he bounced up the stairs three at a time with the luxury his mother loved best. Fresh apples.

Apples... The forbidden fruit spoken of in the bible. They grew the world over in so many varieties. They were a delicacy in such a cold harsh land, especially with a war engulfing this place. Jake was promised to be well taken care of. He was immediately given ammunition, weapons, clothing, food, money... No one would suspect an innocent, sweet, starving child... Begging at a politician's feet for a way to feed and care for his sick mother during wartime. The bastard laughed in his face.

"Please, sir..." Jake held out his hand gently, slowly, weakly... pleading... "For the children of Edonia..." He cried, his blue eyes sincere and unwavering.

The bastard almost looked apologetic as the boy reached up his hand. Jake unfurled his shaking little fingers... A smirk curled the boy's full lips, his blue eyes suddenly full of glee, as the man reached into his pockets to shove a few coins his way. Jake pulled the grenades out of his pockets, the pins remaining in his fingers. He walked out of the room slowly as everyone ducked for cover. The boy put his hands in his pockets and shook his head as he walked out the government house, on live tv. The explosion erupted behind him as his scarf flapped in the wind behind him. He ducked to hide as military soldiers ran inside for survivors. A smile touched his face with a chuckle. This was his new life, his way to provide what his father didn't...

He reached his mother's room, smiling again as he recalled his suicidal mission. He laughed to himself as he bounded the corner. His eyes twinkled as he saw the signs pointing to the rooms in the new hospital wing she was in. He paused momentarily then turned right to find her room.

The apples in his paper bag fell to his feet, splattering as they crunched beneath his boots. The loud beeping made his heart skip a beat. Room 317. He collapsed into a nurse's arms that held him back, screaming, pleading! The machines shocked her chest as he fought more staff. Security was called into the room to restrain him.  
"Sweetie. Sweetie. We're sorry. This was the third time today. She signed the DNR."  
He screamed, balling his fists, frozen on the floor, tears streaming from his face.  
"What the fuck is that?" He roared at the nurse that hugged him closely, stroking his hair. He pushed her away and ripped the coroner away from his mother's body. He flung himself onto her, shaking her. "Please wake up wake up!" She looked at him with unfocused eyes for a moment... Then her eyes stared up unwavering. Her body was limp in his hands as he unabashedly mourned her.  
"Its a reflex." The coroner said softly. "You missed her passing. The reflex will go on for a little while longer. She's gone kid."

Jake held her lifeless form for a moment later... First he was a bastard and now an orphan. He was an orphan now... Jake Muller? And a criminal... For what? A promise of wealth and infamy? He didn't make it on time... Not even for... Not even for her death. It was all for nothing.

Jake found his composition. He didn't want to leave before her burial but he had no choice. He heard the military boots running outside the window. A quick glance told him he was right. He took his small bundle out of his pocket and wiped his eyes with her hair, smelling her softness for one last time. "Goodbye mommy... I love you." He hugged her and lay one last kiss on her forehead. He placed his payment on her lap.

"Please, bury her correctly..." He choked back tears, "She's a Catholic." Most people were Orthodox in this country. He looked into her cold dead eyes again and gave her one last hug, one last goodbye, to the only person who mattered to him in this life. He would search for his father and find him like she said he would. He shoved the envelope in the coroner's hands. "Please." He pleaded. He bolted out the door to the safe house... "Goodbye mom..." He clamped his eyes shut, holding back tears once again. He sighed as he glanced at his beloved life giver one last time... Then crept out of a window to a rooftop nearby. At least she did not get to see what he had become...

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**"Momma... If I'm not back again this time tomorrow... Carry on. Carry on... As if nothing really matters." Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen**

This was the wrong place and the wrong time... Or was it fate? He decided he was willing to die for a bite to eat and the money to save his mother's life in more ways than one today.

The old man stood in one swift movement, grabbing Jake, throwing him forward, "head, over-heels" over the man's shoulders and to the cold unforgiving pavement. The man expected this. He didn't flinch for even a moment. Jake twisted in mid-air, trying to resist the overwhelming force of his fall. His shoulder took the impact... Barely. He rolled instinctively. He would survive this first test, for now.

Jake twisted himself up from the pavement, bringing his knife before his face an offensive stance. He couldn't let this bastard win. This was his last stand against the cruel world. Jake balled his fist defensively before him as the man laughed, hands at his sides. Jake would guard any forthcoming attack from his prey and get what he so greatly needed one way or another. He tried to still his pants, clutching the knife confidently. He couldn't let this this get any further out of hand. He saw other men approach from his peripheral vision. They seemed to come from nowhere.

"Shit..." He took a deep breath and hoped they weren't coming to aid his target. He had to look like he had done this before. Really he could have literally shit himself in this moment if it wasn't so vital. Jake was willing to die because he would die anyways. If he couldn't do this, his mother's death would follow. He no other choice. He took another deep breath and held it for a moment. The coldness of the knife bit into his parched fingers. He stifled a shiver from the cold. He would suck it up and stand his ground as he wanted to cry from the frostbite biting into his body.

"Fuck off, kid." The man laughed again, his arms outstretched, palms up, like he didn't feel any threat at all. The scars on his face stood out nastily against his paling skin as the cold weather stole the color from his face.  
The man coughed the shadow of a laugh as he looked down at the blood running down his sleeve, soaking his gloved hand. He coughed another laugh. "Nice one you little shit." He spat out at Jake, who held himself back from being startled like a cat that heard a vacuum start in the same room. Jake's hairs went up at the back of his neck.

"Shit." Jake breathed as he narrowly avoided the kick to his chest from the old bastard. He slapped the kick down and dug his knife deep into the man's leg, missing the shin with great accuracy. In winter his mother would always buy their meat for the season. She showed Jake how to skin a pig for sausage. A smirk lit the corner of Jake's mouth in triumph. He was going to skin this pig.

The man cried out in rage and brought his injured leg down heavily, pinning Jake's foot beneath his own. He jabbed a fist into Jake's chest. Jake doubled over, buckling to his knees at the raw pain. Adrenaline kept his conscious. Heat rose from his stomach up, like a flame rising to the heavens. He blocked the next attack, to his face, with his two bare fists as he realized the knife stayed in the man's calf. His fists collided with his face. "Christ!" he breathed as he threw his head back. He would have fallen away to safety if his timing was better and the man didn't grab him by the shirt.

The man shook Jake like a rag doll. He sneered and spat in Jake's face. His green eyes softened as he looked into Jake's now fearful glare. "So you think you're a fighter?" He snapped Jake's head back and forth again, Jake's hands defensively grabbing the man's wrist. He lifted Jake off the floor. Jake closed his eyes for a brief moment, "I'm sorry mom."

He thought of the look that would be on her face if she had to identify his bloody corpse, face blown open from at least one bullet to the brain. Her long locks wet with tears. Her hair brushing his cheeks as her tears rained down his face. Her only son. Her only joy. Her only comfort. Her only hope. Her only tomorrow... He had to be back tomorrow. "Not like this..." He thought to himself, shaking his head. "I'm not ready to die. Not today... Not like this..." He had to be strong... He had to do it for her... He did everything for her.

The man drew his gun to Jake's forehead. The cold barrel reminded him of his lack of protection from the elements; Jake's fingers and toes numb beneath his worn out socks and gloves.

Jake stared the man down as he felt his confidence rising, a smirk curling along his full lips. "Enough of this..." His eyes narrowed. "...you son of a bitch." He didn't dare speak that last part. The man laughed in response.  
"Laughing death in the face kid?" He twisted the knife against Jake's forehead as he chuckled to himself. The bastard smiled seemingly amused by his petite opponent. "Any last requests you flame-headed runt?"

"Yeah..." Jake laughed, "Eat shit, asshole!"

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**"Easy come easy go will you let me go? ...Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me... (Guitar solo) ... Just gotta get out... Just gotta get right out of here... Ooh yeah! Ooh yeah!" Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen**

Jake swung his free leg up and pushed off the bastard, grasping with cold fingers at the man's neck. He hoped his luck wouldn't run out as he tried out that back flip again, kicking off the man's pelvic bone. He smiled as the man grabbed himself at the crotch, releasing him. Jake twirled with his hands hitting the ground and flipped to his feet, his back to his opponent. He laughed as his last glance was the man hitting the floor, holding his crotch. He dashed through the woods, running as fast as his feet could carry him, watch in his hand.

He smiled at his prize, twirling one it one hand by the chair as it shone in the sunrise, his other hand under it for safe measure. The chain was now broken but it was still gold. It not pay the whole bill but it should pay for some much needed food. Maybe he could beg for more time, using the rest of the money for interest. At least he could eat today.

He giggled at his victory as he came to a halt in front of the antique store, thinking of his near death experience. He bit into the last bit of food in his pocket; an exotic red apple, smirking as he cocked his head. "How did you like them apples you son of a bitch..." His thoughts were cut off by the sudden thunk at the back of his head. His eyes blurred as he felt his feet betray him. He saw the apple roll on the ground before his nose as he heard a familiar voice coughing a chuckle. "Not this shit again..." He breathed faintly as he lost consciousness.

He woke up in a strange, dirty place. It smelled like food being by an untrained cook and body odor. He saw blood on the pillow he was face first in. His limbs were sprawled like he was thrown there. Looking up he saw a broken window, with wood haphazardly nailed to keep the snow out. The snow twinkled against the moon light as it drifted down and melted on his face. He raised his head. The door lay steps from his feet in the tiny room, the dirty mattress beneath him, on the floor. Gun shots could be heard as the civil war went on.

"The little cunt made it."

That voice again. "Shit." Jake whispered to himself as he swung around and sprung to his feet, searching his pocket for his knife. It whizzed past him as he instinctively dogged it. His vision slowly adjusted to the light in the room before him, staring down a familiar set of faves. One stood out from the crowd. The shaggy haired old bastard.

"You embarrassed me in front of my men you piece of shit." He sneered, barking out, "Be glad I feel merciful today." He slapped Jake hard across the face. Jake refused to flinch and stood his ground. He brought his hands in an offensive position, ready to take on the room of men. He had to, for his mother's sake. A tear nearly escaped his eyes as he thought of her crying over his dead body again. He adjusted his position with a loud growl as he aimed to strike."

A huge laugh threw him off guard. "All right we know your are as spicy as your ginger hair. Now are you willing to be paid for your sins today?" The man threw the watch at his face. The chain stung Jake, a confused look upon his face as he snapped the watch in his hand instinctively.  
"Nice catch pretty boy..."  
Jake stood silently at the men before him. The old bastard nodded. "There is a catch to this. Become one of my mercenaries or this doesn't end well for you kid. You are good enough to go do me a simple favor in exchange for your life. To prove your worth to me. There is more money than that stupid little watch you... Almost... Got away with..." He grinned.  
Jake stared stoically, listening intently. Wait, a job? On his first, failed, attempt to kill a man and run? Jake gave his most intimidating stare on his teen-aged baby face.  
"On one condition." As if he was in a position to negotiate... "Pay my family's debts and keep the cash flow coming... And... I want the debts paid to my creditor right now."

A smile curled on the old man's lips. Jake's heart thudded against his chest as he stared the old bastard down."  
"Done."

Jake smirked and shook his head. Did he just negotiate a deal in his favor with the devil? And succeeded? Little did he know he truly did sell his soul. He brought his gaze back to his new employer.

"What do I have to do."

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**"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Anywhere the wind blows... Doesn't really matter to me... To me..." Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen**

Years passed as Jake and his group toured the world... Country to country... War to war... Political shit hole to political shit hole... So long as there was cold hard cash he didn't care.

The old bastard became a father figure after the day Jake's mother died. He consoled Jake... Sharing stories about his own childhood loses... The loss of his crew... He taught the orphaned Jake how to hunt, how to survive, how to kill... His group were like brothers... Almost... Brothers came... Brothers went... Brothers died... But Jake was always the black sheep. He never fit in anywhere, even as a child.

A band of orphans led by an old Vietnam war vet, they fought together, lived together, died together... Shared bounty, shared wine, shared women... Life was one big party if you were willing to kill for it. Jake learned he was not alone anymore. He didn't feel orphaned. Even if it was all an illusion he believed he was happy. What teen-aged wouldn't want cash and ass? He traveled the world... On someone else's pocket. The dirty old bastard became his pops. This was not the life his mother chose for him... But he was still alive...

Something felt different about this mission. It was a simple babysitting job but something seemed odd. Three days into the South American mission in Brazil, protecting some rich diplomat's spoiled gringo kids for an embassy here, something fell out of place. Jake grew bored of babysitting. It was always a different shit head he had to stalk and watch every few days.

The cocaine growing drug lords would threaten the families for tributes. His job was to keep the shit-headed kids safe and ensure that the rights that were paid for were respected. These brats were his age and every now and then he would sneak off with the party girls he babysat for a good fuck... Jake was not living the life his mother would have chosen for him, but he was living the life.

"Fuck a rich bitch in the ditch..." Jake's partner sing-songed as they patrolled some gringo's house.  
"Hell yeah." Jake nodded, a beer in his hand. A house party at the beach, deep in the jungle, alive with the ambiance of a full moon and wild animals. They were tempted by the foreign college girls stripping off in the heat of the night. "You'd never see that in Edonia" he smirked, setting down his gun to strip off his own clothes.

Jake dropped his beer as a sexy brunette jiggled her tits at him. God he loved little sluts... She danced up to him, soaking wet... Her tanned skin glowing in the moonlight, dark hair flowing over her chest as her sweet nipples played peekaboo between her curls. She started grinding her ass against his blue cargo pants. "Damn girl, slow down..." He put his hands around her waist as she led him to the water, throwing her bra Jake's partner's face. This was not his mother would have chosen for him but... "Awwww... fuck this..." Jake dropped his gun... And his pants... Tearing his shirt off as he dove into the water after her.

Jake awoke, a girl on each arm and one more with her tits in his face. He loved how his cute smirk and striking blue eyes stole all the women. The brunette was gone, "Probably whoring around with someone else." he thought to himself. He tilted his head back and relished in the breasts on his face... Until he heard the night go nearly still. Something was not right...

He listened in the dark over the sound of howler monkeys... A branch broke in the distance and screams rang out in the night. Jake pushed the girls off and stumbled through the underbrush of the amazon forest, stumbling as he struggled with his pants, belt, shoes. The dead lay silently in the bushes as people scattered left and right around him.

He shook his head with a smirk, "Looks like we got party crashers... There goes my buzz..." He continued to trudge through the jungle shirtless as it became a battlefield.

His remaining allies fought their way through the jungle, looking for the bastards that ambushed them. The old bastard called a retreat. They made their money here. Why bother losing more lives? The remaining guys would split their fees equally. Something just didn't feel right...

As Jake and his partner made their way to the rendezvous, they climbed to what they thought was a good lookout point. Jake pulled out his binoculars. He spotted a yacht with his night vision on, a toy that was given specifically to him, the bastard's favorite merc. The lights were off. It seemed abandoned.

The while platoon was killed in cold blood or in action as they made their escape. An hour passed as they stayed perfectly still on recon. A man came on deck from the cabin of the yacht, a familiar brunette on his arm. Was that the bitch he almost fucked?

He couldn't make put the face of the man behind the sunglasses. "Shades in the middle of the night?" Slicked back blonde hair and dressed in black. He was as tall as Jake and just as muscular judging from his skin tight suit. He threw a package below the deck.

Their voices echoed up the hillside to Jake's position. He heard the same Italian accent... "Yep," he said to himself, "definitely the tease I almost fucked."  
The tall blonde weird guy spoke low. He had a British-y, eloquent accent and monotone voice. Jake could barely make out the words as his voice purred through the jungle.

A familiar voice made Jake jump. His eyes grew large with shock ad he saw the figure emerge, gesturing with one hand, money in the other. "This isn't all of it." He growled, "This is one jackass' pay in my line of business."

"The fucking old bastard!" Jake growled. "Son of a bitch sold us out!" Jake heard a thud at his feet. His partner lay dead below their perch. "The fuck!?"

Jake scrambled down the tree and ran towards the water; the last of his troupe. He had to see this with his own eyes. His "father" betrayed them all. The only person he could turn to after... After she died... Jake stumbled through the forest, barely hearing the blonde's voice.  
"Excella... Show him his bonus pay."  
Jake could see the yacht with naked eyes now. He didn't know how he got to the shore so quickly. His eyes blinding with tears he didn't realize were flowing.

His "father", Pops, the old bastard... Fell over the side of the yacht in a hail of bullets. Jake thought the splash into the water was the sound of his heart breaking as he fell to hid knees.

"I can't... I can't believe... This is not real..." He hyperventilated and felt his world going dark. He fumbled his fingers towards his holster, his weapon gone. "This is so not fucking happening!" He let out a scream of rage and sorrow, allowing his presence to be known.

"Krauser...?" The blonde called for someone with his steady, monotone voice. He waved his hand over his shoulder casually as he turned his back to Jake, descending to the cabin below, "Mop that mess up..."

**Need to do a re-write of over-written last part for this one, sorry. It's on the list to do.**


	2. I'm looking for a savior

******Book 2:******** I'm Looking for a Savior  
**

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**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

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_**Just a reminder: **_**I am avoiding a detailed recap of RE6. I am going to breeze through the parts I don't want to add to so please notice the stuff I do emphasize on. I am so OCD that I will watch every second of the videos 50 times just to catch every smirk and glimmer in their eyes. Trying not to torture myself here. :)**

**With that, I am going to try to put each game campaign chapter into one or two chapters so please enjoy and try not to review too harshly on areas of obvious hastiness. :)**

**My God do I prefer free-writing to recaps...**

******Also, for new readers, please excuse newbie sentence structure in the first eight chapters. I could probably have moved them into a couple chapters but I have so much written now and you can only save so many documents at once before it's turned into a story. The flow is much better from chapter 9 on.**

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**"Sweet confetti, I'm looking for a saviour. Finding it hard to break the change. Nothing venture nothing gained. Don't Like You But I'm Impressed." Impressed, Natalie Imbruglia**

She wore a fur trimmed coat over black thermal suit. Her short bob fluttering in her wake. Her brown knee high boots clicked as she checked each room. This was the place, was it not? Sneaking in here was tedious. She had to climb through rubble and vents. Not every day did a girl sneak into the broken down mercenary outpost.

She bolted up the stairs and rushed around a corner, stopping in the hallway. She brushed a blonde lock out of her grey-blue eyes. _"Finally."_ One glance at this group of mercenaries told she found her rendezvous in Edonia. A badge on their jacket sleeves confirmed their affiliation. A red patch, black spider and an orange ribbon that read "La Vida Neuova."

She watched them inject themselves with a large syringe. They writhed in pain as their eyes multiplied in number. She pressed her back against the wall. "Yep, defiantly the right place." Where was her target? He had yet to endure his deployment duties today according to her intel, he was just moved to this location of the city. "This is the Resistance headquarters." She could have sworn her GPS was mocking her.

She carefully ran to the entrance of the next locker room. It was jammed. The war was definitely taking its toll on civilian buildings. She reached the door to the next room over. A man whistled to himself as he paced the room. Cropped red hair, piercing blue eyes, scar on the left side of his face... _"Bingo. We have a winner..."_

She was started by a shuffle and hid against the wall instinctively. _"Damn it."_ Too late. She had to give up her target to remain undetected. Hopefully he wouldn't be noticed. Her orders were to get him back in one piece. She ran down the hall to another room and crawled through a hole in the hallway. She looped back around and dashed across the hall. She was now in the room beside her target, separated by a wall. She heard a scuffle going on in the room. No enemies in sight but the door she once tried to use was on the floor of her target's room. "I hope i'm not too late!"

She charged into the room to see that her target could handle himself. An enemy lay at his feet.  
"Did you take your dose?" She blurted out from the darkness, panting. Her heels clicked as she ran to assess her target. No injuries. He was the only one to not become a J'avo. He had to be the target. _"Good."_

Jake looked up, barely startled as the blonde stepped into the light. She was cute. A voice as light as air. Petite. Panting like she just had a good time with Jakey boy. Little blue scarf around her neck that brought out her eyes. Out of place in this war though.  
"Yeah," he said slyly, checking her out. "If you want your own hit you need to sign up with the lady downstairs." He looked at his victim's body for a brief moment as it disintegrated then shook his head at the blonde. "I don't recommend it though."

The blonde checked her wristwatch. "No question." She started towards the door to a shaft in the wall. Her sexy heels clacking behind her and hip waddle obviously distracting Jake, "You've got the antibodies."  
"Thank you very much." That's a new pickup line... "Wait a minute... That's no pickup line." He watched her pull the door open. "Wait, what?" He stepped towards her, his senses returning but now bewildered by her new comment.

She stepped towards him intensely. "You could be the key to saving this world Jake Muller."  
He smirked and cocked his head. "This little blonde has to be bat-shit crazy. Sneaking into a battlefield without a scratch and now... Fuck." His thoughts were immediately interrupted by more enemies. Jake smirked before hoping up into the shaft entrance. "Better save myself first!"

Jake hit the flooded basement with a thud and a grunt. Could very well be the sewer from the looks... and smell. He looked behind him after hearing gunshots from the shaft. No girl. Okay... she didn't make it. He took a few steps forward looking for a way out. Sploosh. A cute little grunt came from behind him. That was unexpected. "Ice cream beauty" fell on her ass. "Not as graceful as she looks."

"Lose something?" He tried to look as concerned as he could. That really was a tough fall.  
"Just my balance." She dusted herself off, regal as ever. _"Yuck... garbage water... Just like in Racoon City... I save his ass and he doesn't even help me up?"_ She swallowed her pride, nose in the air. "I'm fine." She put her hands on her hips as if to say, "Thanks for the catch asshole." She pulled out a flip-open badge.  
_"Great, is angel face going to arrest me?"_ He walked past her, bumping her badge out of the way with his hand. "Yeah yeah yeah, good for you but now is not the time." He pointed to the shaft. Then continued on his way.  
She looked up, _"So there are some brains behind that one. I wonder how many of these things we will have to deal with. This complicates things."_  
"You comin'?" He nearly startled her. Seemed rhetorical like he didn't care if she was or not.  
She threw her hand up in annoyance. "After you." What she really thought was. _"Go ahead ass... This is going to be a long day... A really long day..."_

The quiet basement led to a violent battle before them. All that separated them from the carnage was a door. Sherry took a deep breath. What she hated most was having to explain herself to others. She hoped to avoid it at all costs. Jake and Sherry crossed the threshold into the unknown. So long as she had to explain what was going on around them and not herself she would be fine. Jake was starting to get pissed off being everyone's target, left right and center.  
"Those things are J'avo. Your entire platoon is one of those J'avo now! You are dressed just like them." Several J'avo were before them, carrying rocket propelled grenades around other weapons, battling on land and air with BSAA troops. Jake knew what the BSAA was. Chances are in his job, he'd come up across all sorts of people.  
"Look at this circus." Jake shook his head as he reloaded his 909. "Do you have any popcorn?"  
"Stop gawking! We don't have time!" Sherry spat at him. They briefly separated as an explosion erupted before them. Jake fell through the floors of a crumbling house.

They reunited and met up in a little shack that was still standing near the edge of the battle.  
"Alright. first thing's first." Jake barely made eye contact as he was looking out a barred window, staying alert for another intrusion. "I want $200,000 uo front, another $200,000 when this is over. Oh and B.O.W.s?" He turned to face her, a hand on the window. He cocked his gun and a smirk, "Those are extra." He returned to his window. Sherry shook her head and marched over as he continued. " An additional grand... Each."  
"I'm not here to hire you." She stared into his deep blue eyes. "Is this guy for real?"  
"What?" He cocked his head again, "Why are you here for?" He sighed to himself, "Sexual favors at a time like this? Only on my birthday... and it isn't my birthday."  
Sherry looked solemnly into his eyes. "Your blood."  
Jake smirked with a tsk and avoided her gaze. "What are you, the Red Cross?"

"No, listen!" She said sternly, "Those things that attacked us. They were all exposed to a new virus called the C-Virus." Jake looked around the room trying to be interested until she caught his attention. "The same strain that you just took a dose of!"

He stared at her like she had tentacles coming out of her head. A look of shock and realization came over him as he touched the place on his neck that he had injected himself. He was dazed as if in a dream as he was deep in his own thoughts. She continued anyways.  
"It didn't affect you because you've got the antibodies." She stepped toward him, trying to get things through to him. "Right now we are racing against a global bio-terrorism attack," she emphasized her point with her voice, "and we needed a vaccine yesterday!" She saw him contemplating her words. He turned to face her. She pleaded with him. "We need you, Jake." She sighed, "We need your blood."

Jake dropped his gaze and stepped toward the window. Sherry had his attention now. "Will he do it?" She was at a loss for any means of forcing him to come. She was no match for him and he was the only hope left to save the world. He cocked his head again. "That can't be good." She thought. Jake stroked his chin and cocked his head again as Sherry waited desperately in silence for his response. "Who would say no to this? He is going to say yes right?"  
"50 million dollars." He said it with no pity.  
"What?" Sherry gasped, _"Is this man for real? Or did that explosion knock one too many screws loose from his head!?"_  
"Cash. Non-negotiable." He shook his head.  
_"He's serious... My boss is going to just love _this_..."_  
"That'll get you..."  
_"Now I know how you really got that scar on your cheek..."_  
He put his finger up and smirked, "1 pint."

Through the next door they had to cross a broken pathway. Sherry compared Jake to a circus acrobat as she took the long way around. He thought of her as being the circus dwarf, though he wondered if she'd make a great contortionist... Smirking, he decided he would try to stay on her good side.  
Being out numbered by J'avo, he asked her for her opinion,  
"Fight or flight."  
"Flight! There's too many of them!" It led them to a doorway that they kinda wished they hadn't opened.

_"Introducing, Ms. Big & Ugly International!"_ Jake thought to himself as they were introduced to a giant, not so friendly looking freak. Jake pissed Sherry off by shooting off at a compressed tank before them, trying to blow Big & Ugly up.  
"Thanks for the warning!" Sherry mouthed off.  
Jake pointed behind her. "Ummm..." They watched in horror for a moment as the freak crushed a J'avo in two with its mechanical hand in a "you're next" gesture.  
"Okay," He sighed, turning to run, "We go with you plan..." They ran as fast as they could. "Son of a bitch he's strong." Jake growled as the creature broke all the barriers they just jumped.  
"RUN!" Sherry shrieked as they dashed like rabbits before a pride of lions. They barely made it out of there alive. They took a leap of faith and when Jake crashed to the haphazard floorboards between the two buildings that separated Sherry and that thing, Sherry was catapulted in the air.  
Jake wanted to chuckle for a moment as he saw her desperately swinging to a rope without momentum.  
"Jake!" She cried out. He scrambled to his feet as Big and Ugly pounced at them.  
"It's always something with women!" Jake leaped the distance and grabbed Sherry, wrapping his arms around her protectively. They crashed through a tiny, warehouse window and rolled to their feet.

It seemed that monster would just not stop tracking Jake until she got him to the States. All the while, Jake kept nagging about his 50 million dollars. She had to keep him alive even if he was a pain in the ass. Besides, he could handle himself on the battlefield. That made Sherry's job a lot easier. Heck, she even volunteered him to help take down a B.O.W. for the BSAA.  
"Thanks for volunteering me, babe." Sherry rolled her eyes at Jake as he continued. "You know... My life expectancy looked a lot better as a soldier of fortune..."

After the battle and helping the BSAA get their mission done, Jake and Sherry were whisked off magically in a BSAA aircraft, courtesy of the "jar-head" Jake didn't like for looking at him funny. Jake had a good laugh at Sherry's expense when her boss accepted the 50 million dollar request. She just hoped he could stop nagging her now. Awkward silence passed slowly until Big and Ugly showed up again. Nothing like a mid-air gun fight to get a conversation rolling. Jake and Sherry narrowly escaped death once again, or so they thought...

Big & Ugly was climbing his way to Jake and Sherry as they scrambled to shoot him off. They slid to the open cargo hatch at the back as their ride went down.  
"Get your own helicopter, asshole!" Jake yelled.  
"Shoot the gas tank!" Sherry cried in desperation. They tumbled out the back and grasped the edge for dear life as the BSAA helicopter they were in lost velocity and altitude. "Look! Parachutes!"

The cargo came pouring toward them. Jake's fingers barely touched the edge of a parachute, grabbing it in the nick of time. He slapped Sherry's hand off the helicopter, startling her. He grabbed her arm tightly and pulled her to his back as they entered free-fall. As soon as he felt she was secure, he checked if they were clear of the wreckage and pulled the release. Shoot up! He sighed in relief that was short lived. The helicopter crashed into a cliff overhead, its debris spilling over onto their shoot, shredding it. "FUCK." Jake sighed, grasping the shoot tightly.  
Sherry wrapped her legs around Jake's knees. "Here we go again..."

Jake felt Sherry let go of him as they tumbled in free-fall. "Shit. The velocity must have knocked the wind out of her." He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She was still alive. He watched as the ground approached quickly. With all his strength he turned in mid-air to cushion Sherry's fall. His life didn't flash before him this time. All he could think of was Sherry. Just who was she? Now he'd never know. Why did he even want to know? He cradled the base of her skull and neck with one hand, his other draped down her back to support her spine. He hoped the snow would be soft.

She'd have his blood, dead or alive. That he knew. He was sure the snow could preserve it. He ran his fingers through her short silky hair. "You have to live. I don't have to... Not since mom died..." He was a nobody. No one to care for. No one to miss him. His career was based on taking life at the expense of his own. She could have a family... a lover... a child... Claire... Was that the BSAA guy's sister? Claire... So she had someone worth living for... "That explains the short hair." Jake breathed her scent in deeply, the fur on her hood tickling his nose. "At least my last thoughts are something worth thinking." Jake chuckled to himself with a smirk, "I bet Claire is the bull-dyke, judging from her bro... Always wanted to die with a girl on top of me... Momma... I'm coming... Please be there..." His thoughts went blank as he hit the snow.

Sherry awoke to a thud. Her face was full of snow and Jake was below her. His arms were so tight she could barely move. He was unconscious. "Had he saved me?" She looked at his sleeping face. "So peaceful for once. He's kind of handsome when he shuts up." She heard a whizzing noise and looked up. Too late! There helicopter's blades came spinning out of control above them. Sherry pulled Jake with all of her might and rolled out of the way... almost.

She threw her head back and howled in pain. She could see the blades in the distance. A large piece of shrapnel was in her. Jake's arms were still around her. Was he dead? Sherry groaned as she checked his vitals. He was still alive. She tried once more to remove herself from him. She had to get the metal out! Everything faded into snow before her eyes. "Just great..." Sherry knew she could die. She was obviously never pushed far enough to see how much it would take... it would take a lot. Maybe this was it.

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**Only End Note I have is read the lyrics or listen to the song "Impressed" by Natalie Imbruglia. Totally reminds me of Jake and Sherry's partnership at this point.**

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**"This is My December... This is My Snow Covered Home..." My December, Linkin Park**

Jake awoke in the snow. His head hurt like a bitch. He groaned as he forced his eyes open. _"Snow everywhere. Its cold as fuck. Fuzzy shit in my face... My hand is wet and warm... Blood!?"_ He gasped, _"Fuck. Sherry? Where's Sherry!?."_ He saw the blonde's hair nestled on his shoulders, her arms dangling over him. He gasped at the realization of what took place. _"Fuck. It's Sherry's."_ He crawled out from under her in a panic. She whimpered as he moved her. That's when he saw the shrapnel. Was his mind playing tricks on him? She couldn't live through that. He watched her for a moment, paralyzed with fear. She whimpered and groaned again. _"She's, she's alive...? How...?"_ He looked at the ground, his fingers on his chin. He was searching with his eyes for invisible answers in the snow.  
"What do I do?" He gasped out loud to himself.  
"Pull it out." She demanded with a weak breath, startling him.

Jake snapped his head back to the gruesome sight before him. There was already so much blood.  
"No." He hovered above the shrapnel, pain evident in his voice, hesitating. "You'll bleed to death..."  
"Please." She pleaded, insisting, gasping in pain.  
Jake pursed his lips together. He frowned as his hands went towards her back. She would die soon anyways. They were in a snow storm at the ends of the Earth and nothing in sight. At least he could grant this one last request for her, to end it quickly. He paused again as he put his large hands on the metal, almost begging her to stop him. Jake had never ended a woman's life before, mercenary or not. He wasn't even there when his mother died. He never had to feel for his victims. He never had to look them in the eyes all alone as they died helplessly in his arms. There was a first for everything. This just wasn't right.  
He took a final deep breath, gasping lightly, as his hands grasped the metal, pausing again for her to stop. He looked at her sweet face one more time, untouched by the events of the day. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Jake grunted, pulling with all his might to unburden Sherry from the cruel hand fate had dealt her. Jake had been stabbed before. He told her how he would never want to die by a blade. It was the worst death possible for a mercenary. Sherry tried to help as she tensed her body, groaning and writhing, trying to keep her composure. With a loud grunt he got it out. Sherry cried out loudly in pain and fell to the floor. She raised herself on her forearms, whimpering, forcing herself up. She couldn't keep it together.  
_"Why, why is she doing this to herself? It's over angel... Save your strength..."_ All Jake could do was watch as she fought to her feet.

A sickly sound erupted from her back as it oozed and pulled itself shut. Jake was speechless, frozen at the sight. Sherry fell one more time before gaining her composure, gasping as she propped herself up on her arms, leaning on one hip.  
Jake was still staring. Sherry felt like crying. _"Here I am on display again. I am vulnerable at my strongest."_ She continued to gasp and moan as the sick, painful feeling of flesh and bone mending took over her body. Jake's mouth still hung open. She could see the look of fear and... betrayal? She couldn't face him, not right now. Her blood pumped, her bone marrow worked hard to produce antibodies and red blood cells. Her heart beat faster. She hated this feeling... Almost as much as she hated sharing her experiences and who she was.

Jake broke the silence for her. He gestured a pause with his hand in disbelief.  
"What the hell?" He pointed at her back, still in shock. Sherry lowered her head, still gasping in pain. " Want to tell me what the hell just happened?"  
Sherry shook her head, trying to lift her eyes to his gaze. She couldn't. Not yet. She breathed deeply, trying to calm all the things happening in her body. Jake looked deeply concerned, but only for a moment. The anger flashed back in his eyes as he pursed his lips and looked away.  
Sherry held in her thoughts,"Oh god no, I'm not one of those J'avo. Please don't think that..."  
"Maybe it's your blood they should be testing for antibodies."  
That stung her harder than the storm whipping snow across her face. Time to "fess up." She hated doing this.  
"They already did..." Sherry swallowed her pride again, looking at him sincerely. "More than I can stand." He looked deeply into her blue-grey eyes. The snow beat the blood off of her white jacket. A sadness lay in those blue pools of water, deeper than Marianna's Trench. It choked at his heart. He snapped his head away with a small grunt. He felt shame eat at his conscience. His gaze wandered again to the puddle of blood Sherry was in.

For a girl that just came back from the grip of death, she moved fast. He forced himself up, his body battered and broken. Sherry looked around, bewildered in the snow. He threw his arms out. "What are you doing?"  
She stared hopelessly at her phone, panicking. "The data's gone."  
His head throbbed, his body ached, he wanted to do nothing but put his head down and rest... She was now getting annoying as fuck again.  
Her words dug into his conscience as she went on about data and losing his gnome and blood profile.  
"No. You mean everything I need to get my 50 million." Jake's eyes were back on the prize... Money. he made a fist in the air and huffed. One look at her and her desperation... and he couldn't help it... She was growing on him. "Well... C'mon super girl, let's get looking." Sherry raised her head, barely able to meet his gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. At least he accepted she wasn't one of them.

They fought their way through the storm and J'avo to find all the data chips, then took up shack in a cabin nearby. Jake was pissed. The "nice hot pot of coffee" he wanted to put on was empty and the power was out. At least there was firewood. He sat on the table, flicking his lighter, while Sherry paced around impatiently. Edonia was cold, but the mountains were just brutal. Night was in full swing. Neither felt like taking a nap, either out of anxiety, fear of a pending attack, or wicked metabolism from their respective viruses. He stood watch from his position, occasionally glancing over to the blonde who was lost in her deep, sad thoughts. He kept flicking his lighter opened and closed.

_"Awkward silence."_ Jake thought to himself as he looked over at Sherry again. _"Yep... I bet she'd make a mean contortionist..."_ Sherry gave him a dirty look. That lighter was pissing her off. Jake sighed and slapped his lighter onto the table, walking over to the window to check for any J'Avo. Sherry nodded her head and reached her arm for the door, breaking the silence.  
"I'll go get help." She said desperately, "It can't be that much further to the rendezvous."  
"Woah, woah, woah, wait!" Jake barely grabbed the door... and the petite blonde as the door blew open. He cradled her in his right arm, using all of his strength to shut the door and not let go of her. She was paralyzed with helplessness as Jake forced the door shut. He grunted against the raging snow. Sherry looked at him with both embarrassment and annoyance as she looked into his deep blue eyes. She was a prisoner to the weather, with Jake Muller as her watch. She had a good look at how handsome he was. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and glee. Being captive with a cutie wasn't that bad.  
_"Get a hold of yourself Birkin..."_ she sighed to herself. _"He is Jake Muller... A wanted insurgent... The son of Albert Wesker... A murderer for hire... Not to mention a really sarcastic, money hungry, pain in the ass..."_ She sighed again, _"He's also cute... and knows your secret..."_ Sherry stepped back, flustered, annoyed, trapped... She slid down the wall, tucking her knees to her chest and rubbed her arm. That door really had kick. How could she be so stupid... She dove back into her own thoughts...

Jake learned his forearm against the window. He looked for J'avo in the snow._ "Still clear."_ He watched Sherry's reflection from the window, feeling bad about having to keep her here, as if it was his fault. Her sadness pulled at his heart strings. Such strength and intelligence, in a pretty little package, wrapped up in so much sadness. He just didn't know what to say. He couldn't imagine what happened to her. Sherry couldn't take the awkward stares anymore. She didn't want to face him. She didn't want to talk about it. He was just another job, not a friend, not an acquaintance. This day had to end.

Jake thought of all the events of the day. The explosions that happened. The gunfire. The fact that this tiny little blonde got into his mercenary outpost in the middle of a shit storm. Not a single scratch on her perfect porcelain skin. It all made sense now. Was she a B.O.W.? Sherry felt his fiery gaze upon her. She looked up, then looked away. Jake hadn't have accepted her like she thought. _"Lucy, you got some splainin to do."_ Sherry wrapped her arms around her legs and looked up to the ceiling like it could take her away from this moment. Jake walked over and casually sat down to her right.  
"So." Jake started, "Have you always been this way? The whole 'healing' thing." He looked over to Sherry, who stared at her feet. She looked up at him slowly and spoke about her father. The curse that was bestowed upon her. She delivered the facts like she had done this a million times before, leaving out the ugly details. Jake apologized sincerely, hearing the hidden pain in her voice. He tried to make a joke about her "super powers." She cut him off about it not being the point. The people she met along the way is what she took from it, not the pain that happened or followed.  
Sherry continued to explain herself, her reason for being. "I guess I've always been trying to live up to their example. Never giving up. No matter the odds..."

Jake closed his eyes. He put his head back, deep in thought as he listened to her. He sighed. Being a mercenary, you are never left to your own thoughts. It's what he liked about the life. He looked at Sherry for a brief moment, now understanding all that she was... The vulnerability behind that sexy, unbreakable body. He pinned her to the floor of the cabin, startling Sherry. She thought he was going to kiss her... Or take advantage... Gun shots rang out in the night. She gasped slightly. He looked deeply into those grey-blue eyes again and cocked his head as he smirked. "Speaking of odds."  
Jake and Sherry took to either side of the window as the J'avo approached the cabin. He gave her that smirk that was starting to grow on her.  
"Looks like we got some party crashers..." He cocked his gun and nodded his head at Sherry. "This cabin's invitation only."

Jake and Sherry were surrounded. They found off as many as they could before the cabin door was blown off with an explosive. They made their way to snowmobiles as an avalanche started. "Shit, I told them to keep the noise down!" Jake always had a way of words at the wrong time... They raced the avalanche, ice raising and drifting below them as they went. They ditched their snowmobiles, jumping a cavern below, having to make their way on foot. Jake scooped Sherry up with one arm, holding her hand as she lost her footing. They ran until they reached a small cave entrance and dropping in, hopefully to safety.

Jake and Sherry rose to their feet, Jake stretching his neck. They were at the bottom of the cavern. "Are you ok?" Sherry asked Jake with genuine concern.  
Jake brushed himself off. "Don't worry about me. I'm built like a tank."  
"Ok, then." She sounded offended, "I won't."  
Jake crunched the ice beneath his feet happily. Finally, a moment of peace. His musical ear was turned to the sounds they made in the cavern.  
"Woah... Nice acoustics. Watch your step."  
"I wonder how far this mine goes." Sherry was bounding behind him. They opened a door that lead to... Their favorite stalker...

They stole a key card in silence and tried to sneak away. Jake and Sherry continued onward, trying desperately to avoid that son of a bitch. Their personalities clashing along the way. "How do you like that sucker?" Jake chuckled.  
"Quiet, he'll hear you!" Sherry shushed back. She'd bit her tongue and resisted the urge to shoot him as they dashed to safety. Too late. The stupid door buzzed and Ugly was heading right to them. They fought him back with a bulldozer and thought they killed him.

Alas, they climbed their way through the cave. The rendezvous in sight. Battered, broken, exhausted, joyful... The sunlight nearly blinded them. Again their moment was interrupted. More J'avo... Just when you can't get enough, they are like the latest fad on sale, popping up everywhere! Jake and Sherry raised their guns, taking out as many as they can... Until Big & Ugly approached from behind them. "As if it can't get any worse..." Big and Ugly hit Sherry hard. She flew into the air, twisting like a figure skater... then crashed into the ground as her partner was too shocked to catch her. Jake was next, he just took the hit better. His weapon flew out of his hand as he hit the floor hard. Outmatched and outnumbered, Jake watched helplessly, waiting for Sherry to move. "C'mon super girl..."

Jake tried to get up but the Ugly bastard just stomped him into the ground. A familiar face. Ms. Pharmaceutical. "You know..." Jake pointed at her, a fiery look in his eyes. "Those shots of yours pack one heck of a punch lady!" She had black, short hair and wore a blue dress. A red scarf hung around her neck. She stooped down to speak to him.  
"So... you're Wesker Junior..."  
"Wesker?" Jake shrugged, "You lost me." Ugly weighed Jake down as he tried to face the woman.  
She smirked as she talked with her hands, "Albert Wesker was a colossal imbicile. A fool who tried to destroy the world. He was also your father."  
"My father?" Jake was in shock. "What?"  
She ignored him, continuing, "Which makes you heir to a very special blood type." She waved her hand and Ustanak, Big & Ugly, stomped Jake's head into the ground.

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**"Bury me Alive because I Won't Give up Without a Fight " This is Gospel, Panic! At the Disco  
**

Jake jumped to his feet, startled from sleep by a familiar foreign language. He was half naked in a pair of pajama pants. He ripped I.V. tubes out of his arms, the machines thrashed around the floor. "Must have knocked those over when I got up." He was surrounded by J'avo again, their many eyes fixated on him with shock rods. They shouted at him in Cantonese as he bashed heads left and right. Out numbered, a rod connected and before he knew it he went down like a rock. His head and back still hurt from Ustanak. He looked around the room, held down by enough of those bastards to keep him back. White walls everywhere. He looked at the equipment, desks, computers, hospital bed. "Oh great..." He grumbled. He glanced around for a familiar face. Did she make it? There was only one bed in this room. It was too soon to tell. All he saw outside his room was a long white hallway. He was in a corner unit.

"So... You're finally awake." That voice, black ankle high boots, a red scarf draped around her neck hung to her knee. No... That bitch... "Let me properly introduce myself." She removed her hand from her hip and stooped down. She grabbed his chin with her fingers roughly, looking him over.  
Jake growled, "Hands off the merchandise lady."  
"Hmmph. What a feisty little one you are..." She pulled his face up to hers painfully as the J'avo pushed into his back. He growled again and shot her a cold look.

She smiled at him. "This should prove interesting. You're stronger than your father was in his human state..." She fingered his scar with her free hand. "and nearly as handsome too." She stared into his blue eyes with her wicked brown ones. She was pretty. He'd so do her... If he wasn't restrained and she wasn't a psycho bitch. "You have all of his good traits... Including his blood..." Jake tried to bite her. She let go and let his chin hit the floor. Her eyes twinkled, intrigued by his blunt defiance. "I'm Ada Wong..." She purred, returning to her full height. She walked over to a computer and started typing, leaving him on the cold floor. "In case you are wondering how you were so easily overpowered... Yes... You are still heavily sedated..." She paused, "Or not enough so it seems... It looks like your tolerance to sedation increases with every dose... What a beautiful metabolism you have..."

"Thanks..." He smirked, wincing as they forced their weight on him, "That's the second time some bullshit about my health has sounded like a pickup line..."  
She paused, chuckling at his remark, "Your father was a fool... But a magnificent one... Your genome is impeccable..." She locked the computer and approached Jake again.  
"So... Are you going to behave yourself for my crew or am I going to have to sedate you again..."  
Jake rolled his eyes, "Do I have a choice?"  
"Tsk tsk... I'd hate it if a stronger sedative ruined your test results... I'd hate to kill such an... Intricate specimen..."  
"Where's Sherry..."  
"Nah-ah-ah Mr. Wesker..." She seemed to enjoy calling him that. "I ask the questions here. Now... Are you going to behave?" She pulled out a syringe from a case on the desk. "Because trust me... You won't like where this syringe is going... If you behave I will leave you unrestrained... On good behavior... But that freedom ends at this doorway."  
"Fine."  
She made a gesture. "Release him." Then pulled a bottle out of her case and tossed him a bottle of Vitamin D that swerved towards his head."Your reflexes are superior to most humans, even when sedated... Back to the subject, better take a couple of these daily..." She cocked her head, then shook it with a smile before walking out of the room. "You won't be seeing daylight for a while..." Her J'avo left with her, securing the door and standing guard outside. Jake threw the bottle at the door, shattering it. He would behave for now... For Sherry's sake... She had to be alive somehow... He had to do it for her.

Days turned to weeks... Weeks to months... Still the thought of Sherry being alive kept him going. He behaved through every test as they pushed him to his limits... Physically... mentally... The worst part of his ordeal was hearing about his father. This was not the way his mother said it would be. She promised him he'd understand... "Why did she have to be wrong?" Every time they brought Wesker up, he'd become more ashamed of who he was. He preferred just knowing he was some man's bastard child, some man he never met. "He left us to protect us... That's what she said... From what? His own vile bullshit he was brewing?" Jake stared at the hallway as "Ada" babbled her bullshit about his "genius, mad scientist" father that she would surpass. His immunity would not cure the virus, no... She would enhance it. At the end of all these monologues of bullshit, he would demand to know what happened to Sherry. Every time he was denied her existence.

He endured the pain, knowing they could do worse things to Sherry... It was bad enough she was a woman, but a woman who could regenerate? He clamped his eyes shut as a pain stabbed him deeply in the heart. He had been plotting a way out, trying to buy some time and earn the trust of Ada Wong. He knew they would sedate him any chance they got. He never saw anything outside of his four walls. The white was maddening him. It was so ironic, a sterile environment for the sick beasts that ran this operation. _"I'm no savior... I failed to protect her... I have damned the world..."_

Jake lay on his bed, hands behind his head. At least the amenities were comfy... compared to what he normally had to deal with...  
_"Energy booster."_ He smirked at the term. _"This is so not market research..."_ He was thinking of when he met that pretty, goody two shoes blonde. Their personalities clashing around every corner. She said she didn't hate him when they were on their snow mobiles, escaping J'avo. He wished he wasn't so sarcastic. If he knew he would have felt so much for her safety... No, he admitted it... She grew on him and he missed her chatter. At least she kept him informed while his life was endangered, not like being in this shit hole. He had to find Sherry, even if it was a grave. He had to know she was ok. He wanted, no, needed that closure! She had to be mourned if she was dead. She had a friend who needed notification. He still didn't know if she had a family... How would he even tell them? _"No... She can't be... My super girl has to make it through..."_ He furrowed his brows as he looked at looked at the ceiling. She really wasn't his. The only "his" that he owned was his money and his mother. His life didn't count since it was always on loan. He wanted to shut his thoughts of her out but just couldn't. His cold heart was melting and he didn't even know her. For all he knew, she was a B.O.W. in on this shit... _"Not my super girl... Fuck... There I go again..."_

Jake was slightly startled and more-so annoyed at the three armed J'avo that opened his cell. He was never left alone with his own thoughts. He sat up on the bed, ready for this shit. They paused before entering. _"Only three... hmph... Reminds me of when that fucker thought I wasn't worth a bullet..."_ They handcuffed Jake, his hands in front of him and led him out into the white hallway. Jake paused, taking in his surroundings. He was shoved by one of the men and told off in Cantonese.  
"Hey, keep moving." Jake realized his Cantonese improved listening to these idiots for six months. He had to take his training somewhere and was kind of here before.  
"Sorry guys," He answered back in Cantonese, smiling as the worlds rolled out of his mouth easily, "Time to move on."

Jake lunged himself back and wrapped his cuffed wrists around the J'avo's arm and gun. He pulled back on the trigger and fired wildly as the J'avo scrambled for cover. _"Fucking missed..."_ Jake spun around, using his momentum to slap the J'avo 1 with his own gun, then swung left, sweeping the gun to the ground. He spun on his hands, kicking the fucker in the face like Chun Li from Street Fighter. Then he swung his feet down, slamming the J'avo to the floor. He twisted around and broke the J'avo's neck between his knees with a quick jerk. Jake searched the corpse quickly for handcuff keys before the other two recovered from their shock. Jake took off his cuffs and picked up their pass key in one swift motion. He smirked as he spun around, taunting the two before him.  
"I don't need a weapon to kill assholes like you!" Jake quickly disposed of them and found the power switch to the place. "Do bad-guys ever suck at architecture..." Jake smiled as he cut the lights. He jogged over to the now unlocked door before him. "Nice..." He poked his head out the door. The power was only out in his sector. He frowned as he stepped out into the light."You win some you loose some."

_"Great... More J'avo..."_ Jake frowned as he opened a can of whoop-ass. "Goodbye shitty prison cell. It's been a real slice of heaven."  
A PA system echoed through the hallways. "Two test subjects have escaped from their quarters. They must not leave the facility." a pause, "Permission to use firearms has been granted." pause, "Repeat."  
"Shut the fuck up already..." Jake groaned to himself. "Wait... two?" his heart skipped a beat. "I knew she was here!" Jake found the supply room. It had an open vent and a conveniently placed ladder. He climbed through the vent and dropped down into another hallway. He took out the guards in a security room. Jake checked the door at the end of the hall. Locked, with a funny code system. He ran to the camera hoping the same code was used somewhere else. A familiar blonde bob was sneaking around on camera. She got caught and was having a hard time. "Way more guards on her side... That aint a fair fight!" He realized some of the cameras had weapons. He took out as many J'avo as he could. Sherry could heal herself but she wasn't invincible... He watched Sherry take out some of the guards with a stun rod. "My crafty little one..." Sherry hid in a locker as a J'avo ran past her. "Suckers..." She copied the code when he left, getting out of that room. The next room had even more J'avo. Jake had no time to lose. "I'm coming for you Sherry." Jake ran out of the security room. He entered the key into the door and ran off looking for her.

He crawled through another vent and dropped down into a locker room. A familiar light voice filled his ears. He spun around with a smile and was about to speak when he found himself distracted. "Damn... One hell of a sight for sore eyes." Jake covered his eyes and turned away, clearing his throat. Sherry was less clothed than he was. She looked down at herself, covering her breasts with a quick fold of her arms. Her cheeks flushed as she hid behind a door. Jake went a few lockers to the right to search for clothes. Sherry peeked around the door to make sure he wasn't looking. She felt so vulnerable for a girl that was experimented on twice. She opened conversation when she found herself some clothes that fit.

"Where are we?"  
"China?" Jake shrugged, stating the obvious without enthusiasm.  
"Obviously! But where?" She paused, "Why?"  
Jake opened a locker that finally had some decent clothes. He cocked his head at it. "Don't know..." He sighed, "Don't care." He looked over instinctively as he heard her clothes flutter to the floor. He just couldn't tear his eyes away. He knew she had a nice little body under there but damn... He cocked his head again with a smirk, tearing his eyes away and back to the clothes. "God I'm so gentleman like..." (SERIOUSLY, BEST REACTION TO NUDITY IN A GAME EVER PPL!) Her questions wasn't what had Jake annoyed. He was very happy to know Sherry was alive. He just didn't know if she'd have the answer to his questions that were building over the past few months. "I just know I'm done being their guinea pig."  
Sherry buttoned her shirt and paused, turning to Jake's locker as she spoke through the door. "What did they do to you?"  
"Hmph... Plenty..." Jake pulled the hanger down and took the shirt off. "They said something about using my anti-bodies..." He slipped it over his head, "To enhance the C-Virus." He tucked his pants into his shirt, adjusting his clothes, mainly out of nervousness.  
"Oh no..." Sherry turned towards his locker again, adjusting her pants. "What else did they say?"  
Jake paused, trying to find the words. "Do you know something about an... Albert Wesker?" The words tasted bitter as they forced their way out of his mouth.  
Sherry hesitated way too long before as simple,"What." That's not what he was looking for. He cocked his head, annoyed with her.  
"I'll take that as a yes." He grabbed the suspenders that was in the locker. He liked the accessory. It was different. He continued, annoyed. "They talked about him... A lot." The last two words were hot with anger.

Jake grabbed his boots and made his way to a bench in the center of the room. "I guess he had an antibody that could fight off any virus." He slammed the boots down on the bench, "Apparently..." He plunked himself behind them. "He abused his gift," He shot a quick look at Sherry who was now dressed and throwing her scarf around her neck, "took it for granted..." He laced his shoes, continuing to speak bitterly. "And then ended up turning himself into some kind of monster." Jake threw his hands up in the air. He shook his head, lifting his leg to lace his other boot. "And here I thought dear old dad was just a deadbeat that skipped out on us... no no no... he was just... A freakin' nut job that almost destroyed the world!" Jake threw his arms out in frustration and sighed, putting his fist against his forehead. He was angry and confused. Why did Sherry withhold this from him. Why did he have to learn all of this through those that held him captive. His world was spinning upside down again.

"Your father's actions..." Sherry chastised him, her eyes boring a hole into his back. "Has nothing to do with you."  
Jake threw his hands in the air again, "Yeah but his blood does!" he looked at her from over his shoulder, then looked away, shaking his head, "It's the whole reason why we're even here!" His voice cracked slightly. His anger for his father, long since forgotten, spilling onto his face. "I mean, c'mon." He spat out, standing up to join Sherry at her locker. "Do you really believe that crazy doesn't run in the family?" He stared at the locker before him, "That nothing of who my father was didn't get passed on down to me?" He bent down to pick up his holster from his locker, "You of all people should know that's true. I'm just saying..." Jake shook his head and cocked his gun. He shook his head in shame, "The man that I am? The things that I've done." He put his 909 into its holster. He stared down at his feet then looked up and talked to the locker again, "At least it all makes a little more sense now." He slammed the locker shut, like it was a dirty book about his genealogy. His mother was disowned and brought to poverty for this bastard? He sold his soul because his mother married a monster.

Jake rested his hand on the locker lightly. He was lost in his frustration, faces of the dead haunting him, including his mother's. Sherry stared at him with empathy, her voice soft. He shook his head again, then faced her with that same angry, cold eyed look he used on Chris and Piers from the BSAA. "What?"  
Sherry shook her head lightly, "You can blame your father all you want... but at some point," her features lost their softness, "you need to take responsibility for your own actions." She pushed passed Jake, knocking her shoulder into him with aggression and marched out of that locker room. He tried to watch her with that look until the impact jolted him. He grunted.  
_"That was cold..._" Jake hung his head in shame, _"but she's right..."_ He was a ball of emotion. _"How could she not tell me..."_ He looked over his shoulder at where she went. The girl was off to get herself killed. _"It's not the time for this shit..."_ Jake slammed his elbow into the locker and marched after her. _"Daddy issues will have to wait for later..."_

Jake and Sherry continued on. The facility was a huge mansion. There were several bedrooms, a lounge room, a casino. Sherry discovered that Jake could both read and speak Cantonese. He was also a musical genius. Definitely not a typical mercenary. His character was much deeper than that scar on his face. She chuckled to herself that Jake was like a scratch and win ticket. Was the prize worth it under there? Or was it really just a $2 play again with sarcasm offered as a standard free service.

Jake broke the awkward silence between battles. "So what'd they have you doing for the past 6 months."  
"You name it. They were trying to research the virus I'm carrying. It was the same thing I went through after Raccoon City. And it was just as shitty the second time."  
"Jeez I'm sorry." He honestly felt bad. He pursed his lips together thinking of how far they went. She didn't have a scratch on her body but he knew the mental scars were still there. "I tried super girl, I really did. Please believe me that I tried to keep you safe." He couldn't say his thoughts out loud. Yet here she was, as tough as ever. She could hold her own in a fight, if she didn't fall over so much.

Sherry's politeness with others and need to follow routine was really starting to piss Jake off. At least it lead them to a room where he found their phones. Sherry was able to steal the data from the experiments that were done to them for the past 6 months by the group they now knew as Neo-Umbrella. They raced out of the room, the exit door finally before them... Only to be met with a tank. They raced away only to be blasted to a lower floor. They ran through an indoor pond as the tank crashed through another door after them.

Jake called to Sherry, "Hang on." She fought off the J'avo as Jake found his way to a platform. He taunted the tank, making it fire on a statue. He used the statue to get up to another floor where he found a motorcycle. He yelled out to Sherry that he found their ride to get out. She was beginning to wonder if he'd abandon her when he flew out in front of the tank on a bike. Sherry scrambled to join him and they were on their way out of there. She contacted her superiors when the coast was clear. They had a new rendezvous point just up ahead.

Escaping was not as easy as they thought. A helicopter pulled up behind them. They had to avoid J'avo pursuing them on bikes, with gun fire and molotov cocktails. Vehicles were at a half randomly in their path, probably from the bio-terror outbreak in the city. They were surviving with Jake's bike stunts. He dared to hop roof tops and dive off onto the streets below. The man knew how to handle a hog. They flew off rafters and drove up ramps. The chase got more and more out of control. Sherry held onto Jake tightly, using her gun when necessary to get J'avo out of their way. She blew up a barrel when a group of J'avo tried to fire RPGs at them. Jake and Sherry flew off the rafters again. Sherry complained that the ride was starting to really hurt. Jake sarcastically promised to steal a limo next time for her. She'd pinch him if he didn't need his concentration to drive like a lunatic.

They sped up another rafter, Jake calling out for Sherry to hold onto him as tight as she could. The helicopter blasted in front of their exit, throwing Sherry off the bike and onto the helicopter. She gripped a bar on the helicopter, her grasp slipping from its smooth surface. She cried out for Jake as he hit the pavement.  
"Son of a..." Jake spun the bike around.  
"I can't hold on!" Sherry cried out, barely gripping with one hand.  
"Yes you can. I'm coming!" He revved the bike, riding into the line of fire, avoiding falling objects that gave him cover. Sherry fell, his angel had no wings. He caught her with one arm, stopping the bike and swinging it around, her feet barely touching the ground as she hung over his arm and the bike. He pulled her on and sped away again. "You okay?"  
"Yeah. Nice catch." Sherry was so grateful for his strong arms. _"Jack of all trades and master of muscle..."_ She couldn't help but blush as she held him even tighter, feeling his tight body against her soft skin. She felt a sudden tightness in her stomach as she breathed him in. She couldn't believe she had another chance at life again because of hands of Jake Muller.

The moment was halted when the helicopter hit an oncoming gas truck. It jackknifed, cutting off their path completely. Jake tilted the bike and the pair slid safely below it, coming out at a distance on the other side. He spun the bike around again and ordered Sherry to shoot the gas leaking from the truck. Finally, a distraction... But only for the helicopter. Again they were swarmed by J'avo as they turned around and bolted for the rendezvous. They speed up another ramp and through a covered rafter, a light approaching them at the end of the tunnel. Sherry gasped, "The helicopter's back!"  
Jake shook his head, "Bastard must have been waiting for us." He revved the bike harder, "Hang on!" They just barely cleared it, Jake maneuvering them over the blades, then landing on a highway. "J'avo J'avo everywhere and man they really stink!" Jake parodied the famous saying. They were ditching J'avo left and right again. "As if we didn't have enough problems already!" Their best buddy Mr. Helicopter showed back up, this time opening fire on the locks of a car-carrier. The cars rolled off the ramp before them and all over the place. They dodged the vehicles until the ramp fell down before them. "Hang on!" Jake called out to Sherry, revving the bike harder. She nuzzled her head against his back and clamped her eyes shut as they flew up the ramp and into the air. This landing was not so lucky. The bike had enough. They fell off as the bike and it rode to impact, exploding in a fiery death. "So glad that wasn't us..."

* * *

**Sorry guys, seems I didn't just lost my first book's last bit or two. Will rewrite asap and put it here. I hate the 50 doc maximum OMG GRRR Gotta rewrite it (pissed off). Re-writting these is on hiatus for the week. I'm just so upset by it. I'm just glad it's recaps and not my main story. Going to back it all up to laptop now so nothing else happens. Please skip to next chap.**

**Sorry again :(**


	3. Three days grace pt 1 of 2

**Book 3: Three Days Grace**

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**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

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**"I Believe I Can Walk Through Fire. I Believe I Can Save the World." At the End of A Long Escape, RE6 Soundtrack**

Jake awoke to Sherry's light moans and the smell of smoke. This wasn't the first time he had her wrapped in his arms protectively. He took in his surroundings. They were in a warehouse but no longer in the undersea facility. Molten lava hardened as it slowly flowed from the train tunnel they had come from. A small fire was spreading from the heat, catching cargo on fire. Their cargo train platform was half submerged in the lava. He remembered that some of the cargo crates that were destroyed in the battle with Ustanak contained weapons. The ammunition could have been stored up here.

Jake was exhausted, battered and broken but he had to make one more escape. The fire was spreading quickly. Sherry groaned as Jake rolled their bodies to the side, not letting her go. He changed his grip on her as he fought the pain that racked his body. The sunlight shone through the the windows of the abandoned warehouse. No J'avo was in sight. With a grunt and a stumble, he put his left arm around her back, his left under her knees. Cradling her to his chest, he put her back under his knee, then forced himself up slowly. He stumbled again, this time keeping his balance. Jake looked ahead, a clear path before him. He dragged himself along, swearing they would get out safely, one more time.

He promised Sherry they would get out of here and she'd save the world. They were still alive. She'd have his blood one way or another. He wanted to end their parents bullshit once and for all, a goal that they shared. They were both born of bio-terrorist virologists. Now they both shared the same purpose in life. Jake stumbled as he felt his exhausted body failing him. He landed on his chest, arms out supporting Sherry. His chin rested on her stomach. She had a bruises all over from the impact, despite him trying to cover her body. He knew she would heal but took note that she must be more exhausted than he thought. Sherry was near-immortal with her healing factor but Jake knew she was nearing a limit.

The fire ranged faster than Jake could move but he pressed on to the exit. The roof began to collapse around him. More than once he went down the debris, nearly dropping Sherry. This last set that fell on him forced him to tuck into a ball over her, dropping her while supporting her head and back. He struggled to get the beam off of his back by doing the most difficult push-up of his life since Ustanak had knocked him out six months before. Somehow he managed to scramble out, taking Sherry with him. Smoke filled the room. The door was at least another 20 feet away, ablaze with the fire. The heat making him sweat. He realized he was dehydrated from the lava room he fought Ustanak in and the air-pressure and wind because of the velocity of the train they were on. He licked his lips and fought through this new source of discomfort.

"Jake?" Sherry moaned, reaching out for him. She ran her hand down his face, her thumb stroking his scar weakly. "Oh god, it's you..."  
"Shhh... Sherry, save your strength." He shook his head, speaking weakly as he panted. He grunted as he stepped over another fallen beam. "Besides," he cocked his head, "...I'm no god." He approached his last obstacle, looking for a fire extinguisher. He had been looking the whole time and thought one might be at the exit. Obviously this place was not built to regulation. "I'm sorry Sherry, I need to set you down." He had to anyways, the smoke was filling the air. They were coughing now and could barely see. Jake heard explosions behind him as the fire had reached ammunition. Bullet and other ammunition shrapnel was flying all over the place. Jake placed Sherry on her back near a wall and dragged one of the fallen beams towards the door. He grunted and groan and he pulled it along. When he neared the door, he threw it hurled it through to the exit. He picked Sherry up again and cradled her in his arms. "Take a deep breath super girl," and stepped onto the beam, "This next step may be a doozy." He ran up the beam, kicking open the door and took a leap of faith through the fire.

Jake jumped as high and far as he could, going into a swan dive as he realized there were steep stairs leading out of the warehouse. He crashed down on one knee, rolling protectively with his shoulder, tucking Sherry against his body protectively. He straightened out and guarded her body with his own as the warehouse exploded into a fiery prison of death. He panted on top of her for a moment before lifting his head with a groan. he looked down at Sherry. The gash on her head and bruises on her face were healing themselves. "I guess you just needed a little ocean air, super girl." He smiled down at her glowing blue-grey eyes. With a grunt, he rolled off of her to his side, his arms and legs stretched out like he was making snow angels. He sighed loudly and began to laugh freely as he watched the white clouds float along the pale blue sky. He could see the ocean from where he was laying. They were maybe 20 feet above sea level on what appeared to be a little Island off the coast of Hong Kong.

"Jake?" Sherry called out weakly, stroking his arm with her delicate hands. "Have you lost your mind?" She smiled softly at him.  
"No super girl..." He smiled again, the hot sun hitting his face with an afternoon breeze rustling through the trees. "It's just finally over. No J'avo, no Ustanak..." He rolled his head over to face her, smirking with a raised eyebrow, "Didn't I tell you to save your strength?" Sherry pulled herself up, hugging her knees. They were at the edge of a cliff. A pathway about six feet beneath them lead to the ocean below.  
"Look Jake! I see a boat!" A red yacht was in the near distance, anchored on their private island. "I bet it belongs to whoever we got that motorcycle from."  
Jake nodded at her. He sighed again, "What's the rush super girl? Just because you heal on command, doesn't mean I can keep up forever." He took a deep breath, smelling the beautiful flowers that lay all around in the tropical air. "Besides, I haven't enjoyed peace and quiet for a while..."  
"Jake." She started sternly, chiding him, "I need to get your blood to the States. We need a cure for that C-Virus."  
"Like I said, you'll get my blood. Look at the sun. It's after 6... Even if we reach an embassy right now, it will be closed." He pulled himself up to sit, his hands to the side, elbows bent to support himself. "Look at that view." Sherry frowned, sighing in frustration. Jake cocked his head, "Look super girl. I'm pretty sure that over there," he pointed out the scenery, "...is Hong Kong. Since it's separated by water, I bet it's safe from the C-Virus. We won't have to be so freaked out about entering Chinese water with their strict laws and shit." He looked out to the ocean again, "You call who you need to call, tell them that we will be there first thing in the morning." He closed his eyes and lay back, soaking in the sun.  
"Jake..." Sherry started again.  
"Sherry..." He cut her off with the same tone, giggling at the annoyed expression on her face. It felt good to laugh again. He hadn't genuinely laughed in a long time, not even when he was promised his 50 million dollars. "Look, Sherry." He smiled at her, "I'm supposed to be getting 50 million dollars. Don't you think I should be running to that Yacht? The real fact is, Simmons is probably dead, that bitch Ada was probably in cahoots with him, judging from the red yacht." He looked at his feet, "You know, red bike, red car, red scarf... There may not even be keys in there." He looked up at her again, cocking his head. "Assuming there are keys in there, if we reach Hong Kong by nightfall, we run the risk of fighting in the dark against anything the C-Virus has come up with since this crazy shit started." Sherry was playing with her fingers, staring at them the whole time. She nodded her head and continued to look out over the ocean.  
"Okay. You rest, I'll call who I need to." Jake nodded with a smile and closed his eyes. He lay back and rested, still covered in blood and guts.

Sherry took her phone out and dialed a main line for her department. "Yes, nice to meet you Agent Hannigan. This is Agent Sherry Birkin... Yes. Leon told you we were alive. Yes. Yes, we were able to escape. Under investigation? Yes, okay, I will avoid contact with Leon and Helena. Okay, that's for letting me know. One last thing, I need you to contact the US Embassy in Hong Kong and let them know I am bringing in my target for phlebotomy." Jake raised his eyebrows at that one. He settled back down when he remembered what it meant. Sherry smiled at him as she continued to listen and respond to Agent Hannigan. "Yes, I think we should do it in Edonia. I am sure Mr. Muller would like to return to his own country. Yes, I will go to the Embassy for the Passports and emergency funds. Yes, I can pick up my ticket at the embassy in Edonia. Is it still standing? Okay, thank you Agent Hannigan. Yes. You can reach me at..." Jake took out his phone and texted himself the phone number as she spoke. Sherry was about to hang up. "Oh, wait! What about Chris Redfield of the BSAA? Okay, I will keep an eye out for him. Thank you again agent Hannigan."

Jake perked up when he heard Chris' name. What about Chris. His issues are his issues. Sherry walked down to investigate the steep path that lead to the ocean. Jake called out to her as she was about to step off the six food drop. "Hey, super girl." He nearly startled her. She turned to face him, an eye brow raised. She knew he was up to something. "What was that about Redfield." He sat up, "...and an investigation, avoiding Leon." He smirked, "...And Redfield."  
Sherry crossed her arms over her bust, "Well aren't we all ears?" She shrugged and walked over to sit beside him again, crossing her legs and drawing with her finger in the sand. She opened her GPS to see where they really were. "Well." She started, "Leon's partner, Helena, is under investigation for her involvement in the bio-terrorism plot with my boss... ex-boss, Simmons. I'm off the hook thanks to Leon. He said I obviously had no involvement with how things went down when we met with Simmons and were kidnapped." She looked into Jake's deep blue eyes. "Apparently he's the one that told Chris where to find us." He looked down at her GPS again, shaking her head. "They said it was classified but," She looked out at the ocean before her, "...his partner, Piers, didn't make it. He sacrificed himself for the BSAA." Her eyes wandered the coastline before them, "Chris is still out there somewhere. They need to send a search team for him but are having trouble reaching the Hong Kong authorities." She looked into Jake's eyes again. "I know this is going to upset you but they asked me to keep an eye out for him." Jake snatched up her hand in his.  
"Hey. That man just sacrificed himself to save us, knowing I'm the son of the man he killed." He looked at his feet again, releasing Sherry's hand, his voice a soft, rumbling whisper. "Knowing I wanted him dead..." He looked out at the ocean, Sherry joining him. "He's okay in my book... for now. Besides," he cocked his head with a smile, "He and I have some talking to do." He quoted Sherry, "And not down the barrel of a gun... I promise."

Sherry stared at Jake, her eyes darting along the lines of his face. He really was not the man she met in Edonia. He seemed to have a new fire within him, one that was not angry and greedy. His face seemed more relaxed and not so emotionless and stoic. He was alive with something she didn't know what to describe. Jake felt her gaze upon him and met it with his own. They looked at each other for a moment... that went on for too long. Sherry pursed her lips, licking them. They seemed to have magnetically pulled towards each other. Her heart was skipping and jumping faster. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him as they were nearly nose to nose. Jake reached his hand out and gently caressed the hair at the back of her neck. They both closed their eyes as he drew her in. He placed his forehead against hers as they shared deep breaths, nose to nose. Then he gave her a close hug as tears streamed down her face. "It's over super girl. It's over." He whispered to her, rubbing her back. "C'mon." He stood up and reached his hand out for her, looking into her glistening sad eyes. "Let's go find some soap and get cleaned up." He cocked his head again as he pulled her up, "I may be a mercenary," Jake shook his head, "...but I never liked the smell of corpses rotting in the sun."

* * *

**Warning: LIME/CITRUS/SLIGHT LEMON. This next par ctontains naked people again and disturbing imagery, along with sweet kisses and Jake being Sherry's personal teddy bear. Nothing worse than you'd see in a Resident Evil title seeing as how there's now boobs and a boss that grinds against Leon and Helena**

**Also, now you will know why I saved the song. :)**

**"You Saved Me, Now Won't You Let Me Save You?" At the End of a Long Escape, RE6 Soundtrack**

Jake decided to be a gentleman and sleep on a hammock in the living quarters. The only words they had spoken since the sunset was "goodnight" and "see you in the morning." Sherry slept in the double bed all alone. She tossed and turned. The creature from earlier with the nasty, slinky appearance kept popping into her mind. Every time she did drift to sleep, she saw Jake fighting it off as she stood helpless. She kept seeing herself as that scared little school girl in Racoon City. "Why..." She whispered to herself. "What's the connection..." She flipped the pillow over, hoping the coolness would help. She listened to the rain as it fell, hoping it would coo her to sleep.

Rain. The rain fell as Sherry Birkin made her way to the Raccoon City Police Station. Her mother had called to speak to her at school that morning. She told her to not even punch out, to just take the bus and get there as fast as she could. It was dangerous outside. Sherry asked for a pen from the school's secretary and jotted down the bus numbers and directions. She hung up and ran as fast as she could, fishing in the pocket of her blue knee length pants for her bus tickets. She was an independent twelve year old but very shy. The secretary shouted and ran after her but Sherry had already hopped the bus. She didn't take anything from her class, listening to the desperation in her mother's voice, thinking something had happened to her father.

Sherry fiddled with the locket that hung from her neck as she waited for the next bus. The streets were eerily quiet. She decided to run to the bus' stop, it wasn't too far. She got on the next bus. A man slouched over and fell to the floor. People got up to check him. He was not breathing. "We have a situation here!" A passenger called to the driver.  
"We're almost at the police station." The driver called back, "They'll be able to take care of him. I'm skipping the next two stops." He called into his dispatcher and was greeted with silence. Sherry was squatting, unable to stay in her seat at the front of the bus. She tied and retied her sailor-style blue scarf on her white school uniform. She stared at her shoes, wondering what had happened to her father. Was he sick? Did something happen at his lab? Or worse?

Another passenger fainted, then another. People started shrieking on the bus. Suddenly, the dead man stood up and opened his eyes. He lunged at the woman who was pumping his chest to keep his blood flowing. He ripped into her neck as she cried out in pain and fear. The other passengers that lay unconscious or dead on the floor leaped up as well, biting the others. The driver swerved the vehicle, with Sherry holding on for dear life as it came to a crashing stop. The bus hit a building. Cars were stopped in all sorts of positions, wrecked everywhere. The driver lay unconscious, blood coming from his nose and mouth on the staring wheel, his arms scattered this way and that. Sherry ran to the back of the bus, dodging the people who were eating other people. She climbed up one of the monsters' backs and pushed as hard as she could at the emergency hatch on the roof. She jumped and pulled herself up like in gym class. Something grabbed her foot. She kicked at it until it let go.

Sherry crawled along the top of the bus, her eyes wide with fear. The city was loud with police sirens, gun fire, explosions, cars honking and the sounds of metal colliding with metal and brick. Sherry shrieked, covering her eyes and ears. She shook her head. She remembered what her mother told her on the phone. "It's too dangerous outside sweetie. Get to the police station. They will keep you safe." Is this what she meant?

Sherry dodged as she went around a few corners. The monsters walked slowly, barely keeping their heads up. Every time she passed one, it glared at her and tried to grab her. Some of them threw up green fluids as she ran by. She covered her head and kept running. She came to a pair of large, black gates and read the sign quickly. "Racoon City Police Department." She tried to open the gate style doors but they wouldn't budge. She was just too little to put any weight into it. She crawled under the gate and ran to station doors.

The front doors were opened but the security systems were activated. Some of the hallways had monsters in them or blood on the walls. She wandered the hallway to the room that said S.T.A.R.S. She was chased from a zombie there. She hid in a darkened room somewhere in the building with no windows to hear the screams, sirens and gunshots outside. Until someone turned on the light. Claire. She tried to get away but Claire insisted she wasn't one of those monsters. Sherry insisted on looking for her father many times. An independent child, she started going off on her own, handing items to Claire as she found them. Sherry kept hearing her father call her name but she couldn't find him. She kept running into a monster with a giant arm, an eyeball in it's bicep. She finally agreed to stay with Claire, frightened of what was taking place around her. Every time Claire was out of her site or ran too far for her to keep up, Sherry froze up, tucking her knees to her chest and burying her head in her crossed arms.

Sherry was escaping through the sewers with Claire, hearing her father call for her again. Claire shouted to run and they did into another maintenance room. Sherry fell through a sewer drain when the sewer's capacity overflowed. She woke up in a garbage room to the sound of Claire's voice. She felt sick. She passed out in a security room somewhere else along the way before Claire gave her an antidote. The details were so foggy. Claire had given her the red outfit with an angel on the back at some point, to watch over her while she got the antidote. Then Claire had to go find her brother Chris in Europe. Sherry was left in the care of Leon S. Kennedy before the government took her away for testing. There was something else. The garbage room. She remembered screaming before passing out again.

Sherry woke up in cold sweat, her stomach churning. The yacht rocked violently as the storm rolled in. She could hear the rain smashing against the windows in her little room. The bedroom was barely big enough to step off the bed and get out the doorway. She threw the door open, her hand covering her mouth, tasting her vomit as she tried to swallow it back. Jake was no where in sight, his hammock empty. She dashed around the corner to the toilet and let herself go, the room spinning around her. She gasped for air before vomiting violently again. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, panting. "Oh god..." The world reeled around her again, going dark. She passed out. She didn't know for how long. She awoke in cold sweat again, her father kept calling her name. She vomited again. She tried to stop her heart from beating so quickly.

Now she remembered why she was so uncomfortable about how she contracted the G-Virus. She knew the details Claire shared with her when she was old enough to understand what had happened to her. The G-Virus had two unique features when it was directly injected into a person. The first was its ability to regenerate the human body, if you could call it human anymore. The second was its ability to reproduce. Successful reproduction, like in all species, depended on mating with the same species. Her father, William Birkin, the famous virologist, had created the G-Virus in collaboration with his rival, Albert Wesker, the father of Jake Muller. They tried to steal the virus but it was too late. Umbrella sent their agents in to retrieve the virus, killing Sherry's father in the process. He injected the G-Virus into himself to preserve his own life. Chaos ensued as rats carried the virus throughout Raccoon City. Sherry was the only living, directly blood related relative to William Birkin. Sherry had told Claire she was asleep and that she felt sick... It was a half truth. Had she blocked this from her memory all along?

She stumbled to the shower, wanting to get the taste of vomit out of her mouth. She ran the shower full blast as she scrubbed herself clean. She always hated her body from all the experiences she had growing up in labs. She never got used to human touch, with parents that were always too busy with their work for her but tried their best to be there for important life events, most of what they missed. Her contact with Jake was probably the most she had since holding hands with Claire, escaping from Raccoon City. She never had the chance to be loved as she was treated by a lab rat for so many years. Simmons betrayed her, seeming like a father, stopping the experiments when they pushed way past her tolerance, recommending her as an agent. Her father, just like Jake's father, was not the deadbeat she thought he was either. She knew that... but this... This, event, where she contracted the virus. This she did not remember. Claire didn't know how the virus implanted embryos. Sherry tried her hardest to find the information as an agent but it was classified. All Claire could say, was that she met someone who was implanted and they split down their middle, something crawling from their mouth tore them apart.

Jake left his Pajamas in the cabin near the hammock he had put up in the corner. The storm raged outside, spewing coconuts and other fruits onto the deck. The sound woke him in the middle of the night, not like he was sleeping well anyways. He was wrapped in a blue beach towel, collecting the fruits that fell. He was pondering what happened with Sherry, how long had she been watching him mope over her? She said he was just a friend and a friend he would stay. He almost let his emotions get the best of him. He didn't know her, he still thought she could be a lesbian with Redfield's sister. He knew they had a connection, besides having psycho world-destroyers for fathers and zombie viruses coursing through their veins. He held onto the rail of the ship as it rocked, his fruits falling out of the towel he tied them up in. He sighed and picked them up again. He plunked himself down and stared at an apple in his hand, contemplating things. The rainstorm beating down on him reminded him of his own inner turmoil.

The fact was, Jake wasn't good enough for Sherry. His hands were not clean enough for what delicate innocence remained in her. They would forever be stained with the blood of thousands of lives he took for money. He stared at his hands, crushing his apple. He stared at it as the juice dripped down on his crossed legs. Jake grabbed a coconut and smacked it with his hand, cracking it. He lifted it to his chin and drank the sweet-salty water within it as it dripped down his chin and chest, the water washing it off of his skin. He was a mercenary, not some goody-two-shoes like Chris or Leon. That's what she should be with, not some murderer for hire with daddy issues. He frowned as he watched the coconut trees bending with the wind and rain, their palm leaves whipping around, some falling onto the ship. He'd go pick flowers for Sherry if he wasn't so busy watching out for J'avo and dealing with his own bullshit thoughts. He wanted the storm to drown his thoughts out to silence. Why did he even think this away about a woman? About a person? He promised to not be his father but that didn't mean he wanted to get all touchy-feely with his inner self.

Jake leaned his head back and sighed. The fact was, he didn't know her past Sherry shy smile and sad eyes. He still didn't know if she had started a family on her own. He knew her father was dead but she must have had a mother somewhere. He knew she was faithful, loyal, even against better judgement. She'd risk death for a lifeless killer like Jake Muller, not just for his blood. He had seen that in her eyes. She'd even go against her superiors for a friend, breaking confidentiality of her mission. Sherry wasn't like Jake. She was a good kid. She thought with her heart instead of her head. They were both impulsive but for the most part, she was a center of calm and clarity. Sherry liked to follow the rules and Jake liked to go with the flow. She made things complicated while he preferred life to be simple. Now she complicated him further. It was enough that Sherry saved his soul and gave him a new purpose for being. Something he hadn't had since his mother was alive. He wanted to take responsibility for his own actions, just like she said. It would just never be good enough for what he believed such a being should deserve. The storm drowned out his thoughts again as he drifted to sleep, still sitting.

A noise startled Jake. He heard a shriek, followed by sobbing. The sound was faint on his ears. He closed his eyes and listened for where it came from. It was Sherry. He flew downstairs, the soaked towel still around his hips, holding it with one hand as he dashed four steps at a time. "Sherry?" He called out for her. Her door was open and he could hear the shower going. The door was locked. "Sherry!" He banged on the door, no answer. He kicked in the door.

Shivering on the shower floor, the water still running, was Agent Sherry Birkin. She had her feet tucked up against her and her arms around her knees, sobbing and shrieking. Jake entered the room slowly as not to startle her. Sherry didn't seem to notice. Jake put his hand in the water. It was running cold. He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. The propane that powered the electricity for the shower heater must have run out. He turned that off too, just in case. He grabbed a big fluffy towel from a pile in the hall closet and threw it around her, scooping her up into his arms. He had an arm on her back and one under her knees. He grabbed another towel for himself and one for her hair. He plunked her down on the bed and turned around to lose his soggy towel, covering himself with the new one before dropping the old soggy one on the floor.

Sherry was near comatose, shaking and mute. If she heard him, he didn't know. He wrapped her hair with the towel like he had done for his mother so many times when she was sick and he was a child. He knelt on the floor, trying to catch her gaze. He kissed her on the forehead and began to rub her feet. "Sherry?" He had deep concern in his soft, rumbling tone. He kissed her forehead and climbed into the bed beside her. "Sherry, you're freezing." He whispered in her ear. Still no reaction. Jake scooped her up again and placed her in bed, noticing the tangled sheets. He grabbed some blankets from the hall closet and returned to her. He pulled the sheets over them and held her close. He shook his head at her after such a long and awkward silence. "I promise super girl, I won't ask if you don't want me to know," He gave her a hug. She was still freezing. "...but I need you to come back to Earth now." He gave her a hug. She was still freezing. "I swear, I'm not trying anything. You need to warm up before your body drops any lower, super powers or not."

Jake pulled Sherry over to him and removed her soaking towels, the blankets still on her. He threw them off the bed toward the doorway. He pressed his chest against her back and rubbed her body down with his hands, the same hands her cursed not too long ago. He avoided sensitive areas, rubbing her arms with his hands, his thighs thrown over her legs. "Jake..." She finally cried out weakly, "Don't touch me..." Jake shook his head at her.  
"Sherry, you're freezing. If I can't get you warm..."  
"Please, Jake..." Her teeth chattered as she spoke, "I want to be left alone..." She didn't even try to push him away. Jake shook his head. He propped his head up with his elbow and tried to reason with her.  
"Listen super girl, if you don't have body heat right now, you will go into shock. When you pass out from shock, the Good Samaritan laws in your country say that I have every right to do what's necessary to preserve your life, whether I have your consent or not... by then you could d..."  
"Die, Jake? I can't die!" She shook her head, "Get out!" She shrieked at him. Jake pulled the covers up over her shoulders as he got up. He secured his towel with his hands as he got off the bed. He paused and bent down to take the wet towels, kissing Sherry's feet. Sherry burst out in tears again, shivering uncontrollably.

Jake took a deep breath and shut the door, returning to his hammock. He lay the wet towels over the hammock's lines and put his pajamas back on, then leaned against the closed bedroom door. He sighed deeply to himself. The storm raged on outside but no matter how hard it rained, Sherry's sobs could not be drowned out. He noticed a guitar sitting in the corner of the room. He had noticed it before but now it was calling to his inner child and the life he had left behind so long ago. He strummed it, listening to see if it was tuned. He shook his head, not wanting to disturb Sherry in the other room. He wandered up the stairway to the cabin door and sat on the top step, watching the rain as blurred the glass door, battering violently against it. He began to strum again, listening to the rain hitting the glass, deck and roof.

He sang softly to himself, thinking of Sherry, strumming away on the old acoustic guitar. He moved down one step and leaned back on the wall, lifting bending his knee and lifting his foot up to the next step. He dropped his other foot two steps below. "Don't seem to remember... When I left the cold behind me..." He strummed a simple, beautiful tune. "You showed me how strong I am at my very weakest..." Tears rolled from his eyes, the first tears he cried since his mother died. He didn't even cry when he was betrayed by "Pops," his father figure that trained him to be a mercenary. "You saved me..." He watched the blurred full moon through the rain, "Oh, so won't you let me save you..." He changed the pitch and kept playing on, adding words as they flowed through him and into the guitar. He remembered how happy he was to see her, what he wanted to say to her in that locker room, when he confirmed she was alive. He shook his head and strummed along. The song helped him gain composure. Whatever had Sherry upset stabbed at him deeply. He spent six months waiting to find out if she was alive, just to fall in love with a woman that deserved better, a woman he had really only known in reality for two days? "Each day, each night, I fight... Fight to keep my feelings locked up tight..." He paused for a moment, admiring how the blue of the moon shined the color of Sherry's eyes tonight, as if mocking him. He strummed again, "Until you opened the door, and showed me..." His voice cracked for a moment, he replayed the notes slowly a few times and continued, "..that I'm, not alone." He began to belt the chorus out to the moonlight, not noticing the figure that was peeking out from the hallway, tears rolling from her eyes. "You saved me..." He stared down at his fingers playing and strummed each note slowly again as he sang. "Oh, so won't you... let me... save... you..."

Jake closed and rubbed his tired eyes. He hadn't slept in days. He breathed in deeply, catching the sweet scent he knew all too well. Sherry. He looked down the dark stairs to the hallway, little blue eyes aglow with the light of the moon, blonde hair catching it's rays. "I'm sorry." Jake started, "Did... Did I wake you?" He shook his head, "I thought the rain..." Sherry interrupted him, her body still shaking with cold and anxiety.  
"Jake." She whispered to him, "Please... I'm sorry... Will you please, hold me again." She shook her head, tears began to flow again, reaching her arm out to him. Jake nodded and joined her at the bottom of the stairs. He took Sherry's little hand in his and dropped the guitar where he found it. He picked his blanket up and scooped her up into his arms then crawled gently into the hammock. "Don't wiggle too much now." He whispered in her ear as he threw the blanket over them. Sherry bent her legs between Jake's thighs, her face and hands nuzzled against his bare chest. She sighed and closed her eyes. He swung her gently to sleep, his arms around her back like he did whenever he had to protect her. He ran his fingers through her short, blonde hair with one hand and drew on her back with the other, whispering his song into her ear. "You saved me... Oh, so won't you let me save you."

Jake was afraid Sherry would jump out of her sleep. He was used to sleeping in hammocks from his time in the Brazilian jungle and through some places in Africa. Basically anywhere there were ships or snakes. He carried her gently back into bed and slid in with her. He noticed the red lines that were healing on her face. Whatever had her going, it was bad. Her eyes were bloodshot red before she fell asleep. She must have been vomiting from the broken blood-vessels on her perfect skin. He watched her sleep for a little while, noticing how fast she healed in her sleep. He noticed the curves of her body from her shoulders to her hips as she lay on her side. A slight smile crossed his face. He wished he could protect her forever. She had been through so much with no physical scars to show for it. Only now did he truly see how deep that sadness ran.

"Jake?" Sherry called for him, reaching out her hand. He tucked himself back into the sheets and scooped her up close, cuddling her again.  
"Shhh... I'm here, super girl." He stroked her hair. She opened her eyes slowly, fluttering them as she looked up at his face. She noticed his full lips first, then traced the line of his scar to his beautiful eyes. She felt her heart race, blushing at the realization. She didn't want him to know how she truly felt. "Jake, I..." She shook her head, nuzzling back to his chest, "I'm so sorry. This is leading you on..." She shook her head again, "What am I thinking?"  
"Shhh... You needed me, I'm here." He hugged her tight. She looked up into his eyes again. She knew those features well enough to trace them in the dark. The moonlight made his eyes look like deep pools of clear water and she wanted to drown in them. She looked away for a moment, suddenly remembering the time she froze and the reason for it.

"Jake..." She clamped her eyes shut, then opened them again, panting. "I... remember when..." Her eyes darted left and right. She tried to look up at him but couldn't. All she could see was that sickly beast on top of him, dwarfing his size with it's height. "The underground facility. I... I hesitated." Jake nodded. The silence grew awkward in the room as it did in that cabin six months ago.  
"Sherry. I have never tried to press you for information you didn't want to share." He shook his head at her. "You don't have to..." She cut him off.  
"No, Jake. I do have to do this." She held back tears, swallowing her sadness down. "Please, just... hear me out." She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest more. She was making him her own personal teddy bear but he didn't seem to mind.

"When I hesitated. It was when that... thing... was on top of you. It triggered a suppressed memory of..." Sherry sighed, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "How I got my virus... From my father." Jake shifted uncomfortably.  
"Oh god, Sherry... Did he?" She snuggled harder and took a few short, shallow breaths, hyperventilating. Tears rolled from her eyes again.  
"I don't know... It's all a blur. I never saw the medical reports from all my tests. I've done so much testing, I can't tell what I was and wasn't tested for that day. There was no adult to consent for me... I was a ward of the state until Leon was appointed my legal guardian. The virus, it, it... It... damn it..." Jake lifted her chin gently with his fingers to look her in the eyes.  
"Sherry... Slow down... You're going too fast." He looked deeply into her eyes for a moment too long again, catching himself in the act. He sighed deeply. Sherry's eyes darted as she took in the features of Jake's face. He truly was gorgeous, even for a redhead. The length of his features, chiseled like a work of art. She got lost taking him in. She felt like she could tell him anything, no matter the consequences and knew he wouldn't judge.  
"Jake..." She continued, "This virus I have... Healing isn't the only thing." She shook her head, then nuzzled back into his chest. "Claire told me that it can reproduce. I tried to find all the files but they were classified. In order to reproduce successfully without destroying the host, it needs to be with a blood relative of the host, recognizing them as it's own species." She looked up at him again, tears filling her eyes, "I was on a garbage room floor. I had fallen through a storm drain while fleeing Raccoon City. The city was infested with zombies." She looked away, "Thanks to my father... And yours..." She shook her head again, then looked into his eyes once more, the tears stopping. She saw Jake's concerned but angry look. "Jake..." She continued, "That thing... That could put itself back together... It was trying to lay an embryo..." Jake brought a hand up to his chin like he did when she had the shrapnel in her. He shook his head.

"Oh, Sherry..." His eyes filled with tears. He hugged her tight, pulling her up so her head was nuzzled against his neck. "No wonder you chased me out of here..." She shook her head and continued.  
"It's not just that... I told Claire I was asleep but she told me she heard a scream. I remember hearing strange noises, then the pain in my stomach... but that's not it." She breathed in his natural scent. The rain had washed off the smell of the soap he used. She loved how Jake smelled every time he saved her. It was his smell that woke her up in the underground facility. She knew he was there. She breathed it in again. "Like I said earlier... I'm not used to human contact. Never was. My parents were never there for me." She shook her head again, wrapping her arms around his waist. "They loved me but they were so busy with their work. Then I became a lab rat..."  
"And Leon?" he asked gently.  
"Leon?" She nodded. "He was good to me but... The government said I needed more stability. He was asked to be in the National Defense. Some sort of Secret Service, CIA thing. That was in exchange for his life. We were the only known survivors at the time. They napalmed the whole city."  
"And Claire?" He continued asking questions, trying to get her to talk.  
"Claire went to go find Chris in Europe. That's where she met Wesker... Your father. He tried to kill her there. After that..." She shrugged, "Claire works with a group that helps victims of Bio-Terror. She's probably in China right now helping out. She wasn't allowed to visit much and the visits were always supervised." Sherry shrugged again, "This is the most I've ever spoken to anyone about this..." She raised her eyebrows and her chin as she watched Jake listening. He was locked on her gaze. "Or anything for that matter..."

Jake held himself back. Their chins were almost touching as they stared into each other's eyes. He didn't know what she wanted. She said he was being led on. He knew she was unfamiliar to touch but did that mean she was afraid to love? Jake shook his head and turned away. He wasn't good enough for her. Maybe some day, with a hope and a dream... Not now... "Jake?" She squeezed him hard again, her cheek against his chest. He looked down at her angel face again.  
"Jake I..." She didn't know how to ask the question. "Jake... I'm afraid..." She shook her head. "I want this but... I know it can't end well."  
"Want what?" He whispered, his features hardening a bit.  
"I heard you singing... You know that... Did you write that for me?" She stared off into the darkness, waiting for the answer that never came. Jake breathed deeply, then sighed. How was he going to answer that? He knew it wouldn't end well. She knew it wouldn't end well.  
"Jake..." She went on, leaving that question alone. "I've never felt as close to someone, as I have with you. I feel so vulnerable but yet strong by your side... Whatever this is... We both know it won't last... And... I've seen how you look at me...?" Was that a question or a statement.  
"Sherry..." Jake tilted her chin up with his fingers again, shaking his head. "I'm no good for you, not matter who you think I am... We don't even, know each other."

"Jake... I... Teach me... Teach me what it is... To feel loved..." Jake was taken back with the request. He looked at her, speechless again. "Oh god... I'm stupid..." Sherry shook her head. "I just... I've never felt comfortable in my own skin... Literally. I've... I've been so afraid too that the virus would turn into something contagious... Any opportunity I've even had to be with someone... I hide in this body." She shook her head again, "It holds me captive."  
Jake kissed her forehead.  
"Sherry, have you even, really, been kiss? I know..." He paused, "You feel that your body has been stolen and..." He looked out the window at the stars dancing in the rain, "Manipulated... But have you ever given yourself willingly?" Sherry shook her head no. Jake looked into her eyes. They were begging for his love. "Sherry... I don't want to hurt you." He shook his head at her.

Sherry sat up, straddling him. He sat up and put her hands on her little waist, to take her off. She forced his shoulders down and held on tight with her knees. "No Jake... Please... Don't reject me." She unbuttoned her chemise, her hands and lips trembling as she eyed his soft, full lips. She looked deeply into his eyes. "Please... I want to feel loved..." Her shirt stayed on her shoulders, her body tense with fear and arousal. Jake took a deep breath, then reached up, to slide a sleeve down her arm. She raised her arms for him to pull it over her head.

"Sherry..." He whispered, still looking her in the eyes. He shook his head. "Don't love me." She took a deep breath, then nodded at him knowingly. She smiled softly as he pulled her down, kissing her from her collar bone to her neck. His hands slid up her back gently, stroking her skin. She moaned in pleasure as he licked from one ear, across her jawline and to the other. "I mean it," He whispered in her ear as he noticed her skin flush. "Don't love me. You know this won't work." The rain continued to beat down as the yacht rocked with the waves of the ocean rocked it. Jake rolled her over onto the bed and pulled her pants off slowly. He continued to kiss her, trying not to relish the moment. "You saved my soul, super girl." He whispered, seeing the passion in her eyes. "I want to show you that you deserve better." He kissed down to her belly button. Sherry ran her fingers up his neck to his hair, her right hand sweeping his scar. He shook his head at her, "You need to promise me you will do better than me." Sherry paused, a sad look in her eyes. She nodded. He slowly licked back to her collar bone, pulsing his tongue along her flesh. "I will love your body," He cocked his head, a sad expression in his eyes of longing for more, "but I will not take it. It's not mine to hold... It's not mine to have."

Jake made love for the first time in his life without the involvement of actual sex. He had to keep whispering to Sherry to hold in her squeals of joy. She was turning him on beyond control. He hugged her close as he covered her entire body with kisses, waiting for her reaction when he went over her more sensitive areas. He liked, nibbled, massaged and kissed almost every where with her full consent. Sherry didn't know her body was capable of feeling such pleasure after all the pain she endured for the past six months and before that from her teen years. She begged Jake to take her. He shook his head no each time, begging her not to ask again. He wouldn't even kiss her sweet lips as he held himself back. "Sherry, you asked me to love your body. Those are things for someone who loves your soul. I... I'm not good enough to take the last of your innocence from you." Sherry fell asleep in his arms, her body tingling with satisfaction.


	4. Three days grace pt 2 of 2

**"You are the New Messiah, Turning my Blood into Fire. Our Tongues are Twisted Like Wire, in the Visions your Body Inspire." The New Messiah, Philosopher Kings**

Jake found the key to the ship in a champagne bottle. It dangled from a blue teddy bear chain. He shook his head and smirked at it. He brought in the anchor and untied the ropes that bound it dock. He had to fill it with a gas container he found in a storage compartment before setting off. The engine roared loudly as it picked up speed. He ate some fruit as he drove it along.

Jake was back in his black shirt, the buttons opened to a V front. His stylish suspenders emphasized his height. He had gotten dressed after watching Sherry fall asleep happily in his arms. The girl deserved to love her body, not to be a prisoner of it. He didn't know how he held back. Sherry was beautiful, not a single imperfection on her skin, unlike his battle scarred body. The virus she had seemed to keep her youthful. He shook as head at the memory of the sounds that came out of her in surprise and pleasure. The thought of it just added to his morning problems. Jake hadn't had a woman in a long time, then to have the woman he coveted throw herself at him, without fully accepting her... The old Jake would have called him an idiot. They new Jake was not going to be like his father. He smiled to himself with a feeling of accomplishment. He hadn't made it up the stairs without a cold shower though, that he could admit. At least the scenery could try to distract him from what he wanted most. His heart pained more for her than his body did in lust for. He wouldn't do it, he promised that to himself. He just couldn't. They both agreed it would never work out.

Nearing the Hong Kong shore, Sherry sneaked up on him again, wrapping her arms around his waist with a sweet, "Good morning, Mr. Muller." He was glad that the battles were over. Sherry distracted him greatly. His body stiffened with both arousal and annoyance. "Sherry..." He started, chiding her.  
"I know... I know..." She gave him a huge, breathing him in, then she sighed loudly. "We agreed... This won't work." Awkward silence. Jake did not return her embrace. If he took his hands off the steering wheel, he would take her then and there, regretting it greatly. Instead he focused on the shore, looking for docking buoys to guide him. Sherry sighed, releasing him. She was now dressed in her clothes, too. She wandered to the front of the Yacht and sat down on a built in couch, enjoying the view. She stared at her feet for a little while, Jake noticing what that always meant. He tried to pull her from her thoughts, changing their unspoken conversation.  
"So, how did you sleep, super girl?" He smiled warmly at her, genuinely. He would jump for joy if he didn't know the embassy would mean the start of their goodbyes.  
"Amazing... I haven't slept like that since I was a little girl." She smiled back over her shoulder but only briefly.  
"Sherry, I'm sorry." He shook his head, "I can see that last night... It meant more to you than therapy. I'm a dick..." He could see the flush of her skin as she blushed from head to toe. She turned to him and sighed. He tossed her a mango.  
"No, Jake... Really. I had been tested beyond my limits for everything else and you're right. I deserve to love who I am and the skin that I'm in... I need to take the blessing with the curse." She rubbed down her legs, remembering his soft touch as he traced her skin with his fingers, tongue and lips. "I deserve love. I just... I hate that you feel..." She shook her head, "I'm sorry, Jake. I promised not to..." She sighed and slammed her head back against the seat, fighting with herself. Jake tried to ignore it, finding the docking buoys. It was eating him alive to. If she had come upstairs in the pajamas... Pajamas, right... That reminded him of something.  
"Sherry?" He smirked as she looked up at him, cocking his head. "We should burn those pajamas. They probably belonged to Simmons and Ada. Why else would we be in his facility with her boat?" She burst our laughing, her giggles always got him going. He held his composure as he steered the yacht.  
"Oh, Jake..." She should her head, still chuckling lightly. His sense of humor really grew on her. She lost her smile and stared at the view before her. Hong Kong. In a couple more days, she would be missing that voice full of sarcasm.

"We're here." Jake said softly, holding in his own sigh. He extended his arms to Sherry and she hopped off of the yacht into them. They carried their weapons in a bag, just in case they would be stopped for anything. Sherry didn't even have her pass anymore. She wanted to thank him for helping her down from the yacht but would have preferred to have stayed in those strong arms forever. She held in her sigh as they continued on, her GPS pointing the way to the embassy. Sherry tried to start up a conversation, remembering that they needed to complete their mission. There were bigger things at stake than romance with Jake Muller. She needed to get his blood to the United States, with or without him.

"The embassy is this way." She pointed. They had to make their way on foot, lacking funds for a cab. "Agent Hunnigan agreed with me that the phlebotomy, or blood draw, should take place in Edonia, as well as your payment." She paused for a moment, shaking her head, then continued on. She forgot about that. Jake really did change. Every chance he got before they came to China, he was asking for his money, or complaining he had to work for it. How he didn't even seem to care. she continued on as he listened silently. "We're picking up tickets to your home country and some emergency funds for food and shelter." They finally arrived, not long before closing time. They waited to meet with the person in charge of supplying agents on field operations.

"I'm so sorry." Sherry shook his hand as he called her name. "We were kidnapped and had no funds to get here." The man was not very kind looking, just like Simmons. He had a plain American face and his voice had a Southern drawl. He introduced himself as Agent Sanders. He lead the pair to his office as he started.  
"No need to explain, Agent Birkin. I am aware of your situation." Jake rolled his eyes in annoyance and took a seat. The chair was uncomfortable his his broad shoulders and long legs. He nearly knocked over the desk when he went to sit, deciding to stand. Sherry's little frame fit just fine, as regal looking as ever. The man continued. "Here is the Emergency funds..." He handed her a prepaid credit card. "This should be enough for clothes, food and a presidential suite. Since this is a protective detail..." He eyed Jake who was staring him down, then continued on. "We recommend it so you are within ear shot but private to your..." He stared at Jake again who was playing with a pen from the desk. "Escorted guest."  
"Thank you, Agent Sanders." Sherry looked up at Jake, giving him a look that a mom would give her misbehaving teenager.  
"Ah... Your tickets, Agent Birkin." He slid them over to her. "You photos, information and signatures are already on your temporary passports. They are valid for only a week, stamped with the DSO's seal. Here is your new badge and id..." He passed her the documents and looked at Jake again, staring at the scar on his face. "Will Mr. Muller be accompanying you to the states? I will just have exchange your ticket from Edonia to our country." Jake shook his head, answering for Sherry.  
"Not a chance." He slapped the pen down on the desk and walked out, "Uncle Sam has nothing for me but 50 million dollars." The door slammed shut behind him. Sherry apologized as Agent Sanders went on.  
"Mr. Muller will collect his funds at the American Embassy, after his blood is drawn and packaged at the hospital in Edonia. There's only one in the country, so it won't be hard to find." He shook his head at Sherry, "You have the most peculiar guest in custody. I hope his blood is what it's cracked up to be. Not the savior type, is he?" Sherry felt fire blaze up into her cheeks.  
"Thank you, Agent Sanders. Is there anything else? Or may I be excused." She tried to hold back her anger, barely succeeding. He shook his head and gestured for the door. "Thank you again, Agent Sanders. I'd say it was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance but... You only know him from his file, like I once did. It really doesn't do him justice." Sherry slammed the door behind her and bolted to find Jake.

Sherry was proud of herself. She had never stood up to an authority before. She wouldn't take that bullshit. It was true, she originally looked at him as a job, as a case, as a file... Jake was so much more than that, especially now. He was waiting outside, pacing nervously, looking like he wanted to punch something. He rubbed his cheek, paused, then kicked a garbage can in. It crunched under his force, spilling it's contents. It was wedged in the now broken and bent fence behind it. Jake shook his head as he noticed Sherry. "This might be American soil... But everything is made in Hong Kong or China anyways."

She smiled faintly at him, knowing how frustrated he was. She knew how Jake felt about that scar. It was how she felt about her healing factor. A constant reminder of something they would never forget. She took a few steps forward. He had his arms crossed before his chest and was glaring at the documents in her hand, then at her like he did in the locker room. "What?" he said coldly. Sherry shook her head, forcing her arms between his and his body, then hugged him tightly. She had surprised him. His arms stuck out at his sides, in the air, then he finally settled into the hug. "Jake... You are so much more than what you appear." She looked up at his face, her fingers traced his scar again. She tippy-toed to kiss it softly. She didn't care who was watching.  
"How long until we leave for Edonia?" He broke the embrace and started for the exit gates.  
"Three hours... It's a good twelve hour flight, no stop overs." She shook her head. Jake "Tsked" and shot his head to the side like he always did when annoyed. He took a few more steps then paused. Sherry jogged to catch up to his long strides. He continued, looking ahead as they had reached the gate. "How many days until you're gone then?" Awkward silence.  
"Including yesterday, three." Sherry sighed, "We should be in Edonia by 8am tomorrow morning." She was looking at her watch. It was now 5 in the afternoon. Jake stared at the ground like it has stolen his lunch money, wanting to punch it. Sherry grabbed his forearm and pulled him gently, watching his face soften as he tried to avoid her gaze, failing miserably. "C'mon, Jake. Might as well get some souvenirs." Sherry wouldn't want to remember anything from the past six months, except for Jake Muller. She would never forget him.

Sherry was glad that most of Hong Kong spoke some English. It was taught in the schools here since England had only lost it's rule in 1996. Some of the shop keepers, uneducated or young, did not speak very much, if at all. Jake found himself in a lingerie store with Sherry. Luckily, they sold item for men as well. He picked up some underwear for himself, a travel kit for him and Sherry with toothbrushes and other amenities, then something caught his eye. He sized Sherry up one more time and asked about some things in their adult entertainment section. He had the shopkeeper pick up a few items that he asked for in Cantonese, then had them wrapped and placed in a gift bag. Sherry used the card to pay for everything. He would have done it himself but everything he kept for funds was lost in China. He would need to pay her back in Edonia. She assured him that they were given enough funds.

The ride home to Edonia was long but restful enough. Neither had really slept in days, besides the few hours Sherry got. Jake's body ached. He was so grateful for the first class accommodations. At 6'3, almost every chair was uncomfortable. He preferred motorcycles to cars and couldn't wait to ride his hog back home. He stretched out, his legs under the seat before him, his chair reclined. He had a pillow under his head, laying on his palms, with one elbow against the wall. Sherry gave him the window seat since he hated being locked up on a plane, especially since their last adventure. It was an uneventful day besides the gift he bought for her. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face. He slipped on the pair of shades she bought him as a gift, the sun blazing through the window as he tried to sleep.

He dreamed of Sherry the entire twelve hours. Her scent was killing him. He loved the sweet smell of her skin, only accentuated by the peachy Victoria's Secret perfume she wore. All he could think about was holding her on that ship, wanting to rock with the flow of the waves crashing against the boat. The sound of the rain crashed against the windows of the plane like it did the night they spent together. Her skin felt delicious against his own. So soft and welcoming. He had held her back every time she reached to taste him. He was dreaming of those soft, luscious lips. The way her eyes fluttered half closed in pleasure. He wanted to drown in her sweetness. He smiled to himself. Sherry wasn't a lesbian and she had no family. If it wasn't for his blood, he'd have kept her prisoner in Edonia himself. He was convinced he could convince her to be shackled to his bed, at least for a few hours.

He was right about what he thought before, she was the contortionist type. Sherry was very flexible and he enjoyed it too much. He didn't know how he restrained himself with her last night. The old him would have been all over her, not just with his lips and kisses. He wanted to kiss her passionately, something he had never done before. All of his previous encounters were based purely on instinct and lust, bored mercenary with egos and too much down time on their hands before the money ran out. Jake lived life hard and although he didn't like parties, he did party hard. He often found himself down in a bottle, drowning out his sorrows under a broad or two. Not with Sherry. This was different. He wasn't good enough for her. She called to him in his dreams since he had met her last Christmas Eve in Edonia. He wanted to drink of her sweetness and loose himself in her beauty.

Jake was awoken by something being thrown at him... Or thrown on him. The Chinese stewardess shook her head at him. He looked down to find a pillow on his lap. His face flushed red but he was grateful for the gesture. The old Jake would have invited the stewardess to the mile high club in the bathroom. Not anymore. Now, he would be a gentleman. He wouldn't be his father. He looked over at Sherry. She was sound asleep, a cute blue sleeping mask was on her face with lace edges. he gave her a soft peck on the cheek and returned to his nap. It was hard to go back to sleep knowing they only had about another day and a half together. The flight suddenly felt a lot longer.

* * *

**"Forever and a Day... That's What I Want When I'm With You" Forever and a Day, Kelly Rowland.**

After what seemed like both forever and not long enough, Jake and Sherry had finally reached Edonia. Jake had made jokes about, "Planes, trains and automobiles" since they used all of the above to reach this country. The ride would have been so much more boring if Jake was his usual, quiet self. He was gloomy about his shabby little country but pressed on with Sherry's seemingly interested responses. He pointed out landmarks in his little country, promising they would be there soon.

They had little luggage between them, so that was easy. Jake promised her a home cooked meal and a tour of his place if it was safe enough to go to. The country was being rebuilt after the war ended with the BSAA cleaning up the B.O.W.s. The entire resistance was wiped out by the BSAA, infected by the C-Virus. People were now returning to their homes to rebuild. The entire country was still politically and structurally unstable since the tyrant Prime Minster was still in control. He had taken back the the city hall as his post once the BSAA had cleared the remaining mercenary J'avo out. Jake was the only survivor of the Resistance Army in Edonia. Without a care for the politics anyways, Jake was happy that he was now under the radar for his own protection.

Jake walked Sherry to his shabby little place. When his mother died, he had left money for her to be buried properly. As his mother had been in the hospital for so long, the nurse that took care of her had felt badly for him, knowing their history. She had used the remaining money to buy the little one bedroom cement home, giving Jake the deeds once she tracked him down five years ago upon his return.

Jake asked Sherry to wait outside. She noticed the garden looked like it lost its maintenance only six months ago, not for the past seven since his mother died. She admired the roses that were overgrowing on either side of the front steps. Vines ran all over the little house and into the windows, which had cracks and little pieces missing. There were some bullet holes randomly scattered from the war all over its exterior. The steps could use a good sweeping. She heard Jake crap the windows open. He opened the front door, a broom in hand. "I'm sorry I can't let you in yet. It seems the guy I paid to maintain the place was probably wiped out sometime in the war." He began to sweep the stairs with a frown on his face. "Looks like that's an advanced bill that went to shit." He smirked the faintest smile at Sherry, then continued to labor away. "I know you're tired Sherry but I won't take long, I promise.

Jake walked her around to the back, opening a little shed. "There she is... my pride and joy. I named her after my mother." He slid his hands under the green, spiderweb and dust covered tarp. He had the softest smile as he closed his eyes, feeling the cold metal and leather under his hands. He cocked his head, his gaze on Sherry. "You might want to step back, super mouse." She nodded and waited outside, her arms crossed over her chest. He revealed an awesome bike, calling out the stats as he slowly circled it, running his hands once more over every inch of it like a lost lover in the night.

"This is going to be your ride to the hotel later." He smiled at her. He took the key from it's hiding place then straddled his bike, starting it up. "The war has been good to you baby." He whispered into one of the handlebars. He took a look at Sherry who was blushing slightly. He was wondering if she was thinking the same thing. He never did have a woman on his bike, ever. He wanted Sherry there in more ways than one. Jake checked the fuel gauge, "Still full." He turned the bike off and invited Sherry in. She didn't seem too interested at first, the silence becoming awkward again.  
"Claire had a bike." Sherry smiled, "It wasn't so crazy escaping Raccoon City on it. I only had to avoid brainless zombies." She smiled softly. Her tailbone still had not so fond memories of China. Even though she healed easily, Sherry had a bad memory for pain. It still sucked worse than what they put her through there. Jake saw that look in her eyes once more. He smiled, getting off the bike and led her into his home through the back door.  
"So, I'm not your first ride." He smirked, opening the door. "Keep your shoes on."

It was a tiny place. The walls were bare cement. There was little furniture. A large, pretty pink and green floral carpet stretched nearly the full length of the living room. A dusty old grand piano taking up most of it. The kitchen was tiny, a little table in one corner with two chairs, falling apart with age. Jake grabbed a rag and started to dust along. The dishes were still in the their place in the one china cabinet, dust free, preserved by a sheet of plastic. The couch was the same. "I didn't have anything big enough for the piano when I left." He smiled, "I was in such a rush."

He opened a tiny door in the kitchen floor and excused himself as he crawled downstairs. He emerged with a jar of tomato sauce, a bottle of olive oil and some cans of sardines. "I hope you really don't hate fish..." Sherry shook her head in reply. "Okay, good then. Dinner is good old pasta preserves..." He went back for a jar of olives and pickled garlic. He shut the cellar door, then went out to garden to see if the herbs grew back on their own. He came back successfully with some basil in his hand, holding Sherry's small luggage back in the other. Jake shook his head at Sherry. "I'm sorry, where's my manners." His face flushed slightly as he put everything down and pulled the sheeting off of the couch. She could tell he wasn't the type for having guests. He showed her the bathroom, wiping everything down and making sure it was all stocked up. "If you need anything, let me know. I haven't checked if the water still runs in this city but I pay everything in advance." Sherry gave a soft smile and a small nod. Jake headed back to his tiny kitchen corner.

Sherry washed her hands then peaked through the tiny bathroom window. It had a pink floral curtain, expertly hand sewed. He must have not changed anything since his mother was here. A soft, dusty floral rug that matched the living room. She noticed a slight frost on the ares of the grass outside that the sun didn't touch. They were near the beginning of July yet a soft layer of frost still covered the ground. Edonia was above sea level and was cold year round. She smiled softly. No wonder Jake was so happy to find some fresh herbs outside. She noticed the humble, tiny shower stall that tucked beside the toilet, more floral curtains and a pink fluffy towel, falling apart on a tiny hook. That confirmed her suspicions.

Sherry emerged to find Jake chopping away, an empty jug of water was on the floor. The water started to boil on his two burner gas stove top. He didn't seem to own an oven. He put the finely minced garlic and basil in with the tomato sauce and a jar of water. This was the second time he was cooking for Sherry with what little he could find. She admired how resourceful he was. Being an orphan, he obviously knew how to fend for himself and live off the land and whatever he could rummage up. He caught her admiration from the corner of his eye, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry, I never have guests here." He smirked a soft smile and sighed, "If I knew you were comin I'd'a bake a cake..." He shook his head, "That doesn't work when you don't have an oven, does it." He looked out the window at the birds in the evergreens. He grumbled, "You bastards better not poop on my bike."

Sherry chuckled and fiddled with the tv's antennas. The electricity worked here, too. "That's another bill coming up..." Jake talked to himself lightly, washing his hands after putting the cut up sardines into the sink. He washed the can so it wouldn't stink the place up. Sherry couldn't understand the Slavic language that the newscaster spoke but was taking in the scenes from China. Now that the BSSA was getting the place under control, the news crews were moving in from the air. They also showed scenes of the American attack in Washington.  
"Oh look, that's Claire!" She pointed at the tv as Jake came to join her. He plunked himself down, his arms crossed, an amused look on his face.  
"Oh, so the Jar-Head's sister isn't a dyke after all." He shook his head, "Whuddya know?" It was Sherry's turn to cock her head this time, raising her eyebrow.  
"What... You thought Claire and I?" Jake burst out laughing. Sherry punched him in the arm and listened to Claire's interview. She hadn't seen her redheaded friend in so long. Claire was at the Washington site, helping with the cleanup of the college that was attacked. Her group was moving to China next. There were only a handful of survivors. She was mostly there to hook families up with grief counselling, then her group was moving on.  
"Hey, give me your phone!" Jake tickled Sherry until he got his hands on it. "I want to text her and see if I can interrupt her interview." He started trying to figure out how to work the advanced piece of technology, grumbling as Sherry found him for it. "Maybe she want's a threesome... You do seem to like your redheads, super girl." Sherry slapped Jake in the back of the head. He sighed, passing the phone over his shoulder to her. He got up and went to stir the meal he was cooking.

Jake was a good cook on the go. They enjoyed their meal. He showed Sherry the note that his mother left. No wonder he was upset with Chris. The note stated that she believed his father loved him and they would meet one day. Jake shook his head, "The truth is, she probably left him once she realize what he was. She gave up her family and status when she decided to stay in the US with him. She returned here with me." He looked at the note in his hands, "Who knows if Wesker even knew he had a son..."

Sherry smiled softly, putting her hand on Jake's cheek, turning him to face her. "Jake... I'm so sorry... You deserve love, too." He shook his head. "That wasn't a problem. Mom was always sick but she loved me. I devoted my childhood to her and she was devoted to me." He looked around the place, smiling at fond memories from long ago. "Besides..." he smiled, "Having one parent, I probably got more attention than you did, babe." He gave her a peck on the cheek and slowly wandered to the old grand piano. Sherry followed him. He gently wiped the dust off the seat, lifted the cover and played a few keys. "This was moms." He smiled softly, "This was what they gave her from her dowry. She pawned it when I was about seven, but I bought it back when I finally came home." He put his head back and played a little bit again, breathing in the scent of the cooking food. "That pasta is so ready.

They ate their meal mostly in silence. Jake explained that he really didn't touch much in the home. He showed Sherry his bedroom. Even her clothes were still in the tiny bedroom closet. Two little beds lay side by side in there, each barely wide enough for a pillow. The bedroom was barely furnished as well; A floral rug, a small chair in between the beds with an oil lamp perched upon it in the windowsill. Jake shook his head and stepped out, slightly embarrassed. He imagined that being the daughter of two world renowned scientists, Sherry was used to a much more lavish upbringing. "Home sweet home..." He sighed, picking up Sherry's luggage, ready to forget his past again. "Ready to go to your presidential sweet?" Sherry's eyes were full of empathy. She was giving that puppy face again. Jake frowned. He didn't want her pity. "Ever wonder why poor boys like me are used to the vagabond life?"  
"I'm sorry, Jake. The luxuries I grew up with, you had in a parents love. That's more important than anything I had growing up." She smiled warmly and gave him a soft hug from behind. Jake blushed again. He stepped away from her, key in hand, ready to move on.

Jake shrugged, his key in the door. "I used to see life like a dog before I met you." He hopped on the bike, Sherry's luggage already strapped down. "When life throws things at you, you just kick some grass over that shit and move on." He extended his hand to help her up, then rode off to the hotel. Sherry hugged him tightly. This would be the beauty's last night with her beast, maybe forever. She wanted to savor it, something she'd remember forever.

* * *

**No, we are not busting out a guitar on the plane like in the wedding singer, sorry guys. As if chapter 14 wasn't sweet/weird/cheesy enough... I am NOT calling this one "Leaving on a jet plane" cus I hate that song!**  
**Lime/Citrus/Slight Lemon.**

* * *

**"Give me the Strength to Face This Test Tonight... If Only I Could Say What I Still Hide. If Only I Could Turn Back Time I Would Stay... If Only I Could..." Turn Back Time, Aqua**

Jake escorted Sherry to her hotel. The country once had beautiful, luxury scenery with ancient buildings and vast architecture. The hotel till stood, untouched by the war that raged on. Jake said he would stay with her before she had to leave. After a quick trip by the embassy, they spent the day watching tv and vegging out, something neither of them ever had the luxury of doing. Sherry was always buried in paperwork or in training. Sherry was clicking away at the little laptop she had gotten from the embassy, starting her report from her six-months too long mission. Jake was getting annoyed. The clicking was interfering with the movie and relaxation he was desperately seeking.

Jake pulled out a little blue box from his pocket. It was big enough to fit one item of clothing. Sherry stopped typing when he learned over the couch and shoved it in her face between the laptop and her nose. He chuckled at her startled reaction and let it fall to her lap. "Jake?" She was startled but happy, "What's this?" A smirk spread across his face. He cocked his head with a chuckle, crossing his arms over his muscular chest.  
"Just a little present for my super girl." Sherry looked up from the couch, her face under his chin. She smiled warmly and grabbed his face. Jake pulled away from the "Spider-man Kiss" but just barely. He laughed at her again, "Just go try it on. Then tell me if you still want to kiss me." Sherry nodded, then ran off to her room. He counted down the seconds until she shouted at him, "3...2...1..."  
"Jake! What the hell is this?" Jake burst out laughing, shaking his head at the expression on her face. She threw the box and he dodged it. Never was he so grateful for his enhanced C-Virus reflexes. Sherry had a good aim.  
"Just try it on!" He threw his arms out to the side, "Every super hero needs a costume!"

Sherry emerged with a new black, slightly purple thermal suit. Hers was obviously destroyed or lost when they were in China. She wore a baby blue, spandex bandeau bra over it with a matching thong. She wore matching thigh-high spandex tights that connected to the underwear with a strap. She adjusted her lace marks, a blue cape hanging just above her butt from her neck. She sighed loudly and shook her head at Jake's grin. "Mr. Muller..." She growled. Jake burst out laughing again. "Did you get this when I was in that lingerie store? How did you sneak this in!?" Sherry's face flushed red with a blush. He shook his head, a smirk crossing his face.  
"I have my ways. How do you like your new outfit, super girl?" Sherry shook her head.  
"It's just like you Jake Muller, cheezie..."

Jake sat on the couch, getting back to his movie. "I think it brings out your eyes... and assets..." He gave her a quick glance, then went back to the show. Sherry decided to model the outfit for a while longer. She sure as hell wasn't bringing this back with her. Imagine what would happen if they opened her baggage at customs?

Sherry sat down beside Jake. This would be the last time they were together. They had to stay together because her custody of him didn't end until she had his blood sample. He would report to the hospital in the morning and have his blood and tissue samples taken. Sherry would escort him to the embassy for his payment, then set off home to Washington. She sighed deeply, not noticing that Jake heard her. "You always have such sad eyes." He startled her. Sherry found herself looking into his deep blue pools for eyes again. She bit her lip, then fidgeted with the spandex at her thigh as realized he noticed everything. "Sherry?" He smiled softly, letting it fade as he found the words. "About the other night..." He shook his head, his gaze returning to the tv. He shook his head again when she didn't say anything. "Never mind..."

He got up and went to the kitchen for a beer, cracking it open with his bare hands. He started at the fridge, leaning against island counter with a sigh. He was about to take a sip when he heard Sherry's voice behind the counter, startling him. "Jake..." He put his head down and stared at the floor. Sherry came around and touched his arm at his elbow lightly, her bashful grey-blue eyes dancing across his face. "Jake, you did not take advantage of me." She was sincere with him. She paused for a moment again, the silence becoming awkward. They never did seem to do well in a silent room together. "Jake..." She looked away, pursing her lips, then looked up into his eyes again. "Jake I..." Jake pressed a finger to her lips. He set the beer on the counter and walked away. He paused half way to the tv and looked over his shoulder.  
"I told you not to love me, Sherry." He took a deep breath and took in the view of Edonia through the large, tinted window across the room. He paused again, "I'm no good for you. Virus immunity or not, you should try to love someone else." He paused again, then shook his head. "That's the way it is." Sherry stood behind him. He could feel her gaze upon him, both angry and confused. There was the silence again.

"Who are you to tell me who I should love?" Her eyes quivered, her body was a tense ball of emotion, her hands curling into fists and she bent slightly. He didn't respond. "Damn you, Jake!" She turned her head again, crossing her arms across her breasts. He dropped his head from his country's view, taking two steps in front of the window. He began to pace the hotel. He paused again, then turned to face her. He saw her tears darken the lace on her silly blue lace mask, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger in his presence. He marched over to the wall and took his jacket where it hung.  
"Screw your protection rules," He shook his head and grabbed his bag, throwing his jacket over his shoulder. "I'm leaving."

Sherry took two steps towards him. He paused, hesitating. He was entranced by her beauty and emotion. She held her hand out towards him. Jake remembered the times they had, when he pulled the shrapnel from her back. How he begged for her to awaken before they were kidnapped and brought to China. The look on her face when they found each other alive in the locker room. He had never had his life flash before his eyes for anyone but his mother. His knees were buckling with guilt and... sorrow? Did he truly love her? He felt his eyes wet with tears as his vision began to blur before him. The room seemed to spin like a snow globe. Sherry was the angel within it, the center of the orb. Her tears began to stream down her face in silence. Jake wanted to save her, not consume her. He had seen enough of what he caused. He started for the door.

Sherry ran forward, pinning Jake to the wall, her hands grasping for his waist. Jake spun instinctively and turned them, pinning her prying hands up above her head. He had her against the wall before his jacket and bag could hit the floor. He looked into her eyes deeply with anger as he towered over her. "Sherry..." He started. A tear escaped him and he shook his head, choking it back. Was he crying? For her? "You promised me..." His voice cracked, "You promised me you'd do better than a murderous vagabond." Her wide eyes wavered at the features of his face, looking for the words to express herself. All she could do was whisper his name. "Jake... I... I'm sorry... I lied..." She shook her head, blinking her eyes but for a moment, fighting back the tears but never looking away. She could feel her body responding to his as he pressed against her. She was melting into it. "Jake... I'm helpless for you..." She whispered. "I'm a stupid fool..." She shook her head again and looked into those deep blue eyes once more.

Jake closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, letting go of her hands that now rested on his chest. They shared breaths, their noses resting on each other's, their lips so close. He kissed a tear on her cheek that escaped her. She felt his body responding, now noticing that her hips rocked against his, her back arching in anticipation. "Oh, Sherry." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulled her up to stand on top of his feet. He took a few breaths, making his decision as Sherry licked her lips. Jake opened his eyes slowly to reveal the passion in hers. Sherry could see the fight within him as his facial expression continued to change before her.

Jake closed his eyes again, still holding back as his body betrayed him, warming up to hers with anticipation, hardening between her thighs. He couldn't... He wouldn't... He wanted her so badly. He hadn't had a woman in so long and he never felt the need to like this. He wanted to make love to her fully this time, breathing in the essence of her scent. Sherry undid his suspenders, letting them fall to the floor, draping off of his pants. She traced her fingers down his sides to his shirt, slowly lifting it as to ask permission, before pulling it off of his head. She eyed him as she slid her hands down to his hips. Jake let his head fall back, gritting his teeth, still fighting himself as his hips pressed harder, twisting with hers. He let out a purring growl, angry at himself for not being able to resist her.

Sherry kissed his neck, tracing his jaw line. She kissed down his chest, tracing her fingers down his hips with one hand, the other up his bare chest to his beautiful pecks. She kissed him lightly, her tongue suckling his skin. Jake shook his head and pressed it against the cool wall. "Sherry, no..." He begged, "We can't..." He opened his eyes, pressing a forearm over her head against the wall. "I can't..." He shook his head again. "I won't be my father, I won't..." He gasped as she suckled his nipple, rolling it with her tongue. She began to suckle her kisses up his neck. Her knees shook against his weight. She wanted Jake so badly.  
"Please Jake, just this once..." She begged, shaking her head. She looked him deeply in the eyes, his forehead against the wall, his face hovering over hers. She moaned and closed her eyes, leaning her head back, as she felt him harden against her thighs. "Jake..." She whispered, "Please... take me..." She opened her eyes slowly. Jake was panting. She could feel his heart beating against her fingers. She nuzzled against his chest, hugging him tight as she slid her fingers up his back. Jake was gasping for air. His hands betrayed him, pulling off the silly lingerie she wore over her outfit. He untied the thong and began to unzip her spandex thermal suit. She continued to lay sweet kisses on his chest, neck and chin and he slowly fought himself. He kept pausing and she'd kiss him to start him up again.  
"Sherry... I..." He stopped the zipper just below her belly button at the start of her pelvic mound. He growled again, shaking his head. "This... this is wrong."

Sherry put her arms around his neck and stared him down, pressing herself against the wall, her hips arching to him more as her ass left the wall. She leaned back and led her hand over his, pulling down her zipper. She fought his hesitation, taking his other hand and placing it on her sex. She moaned with delight, throwing her head back as he finally gave in, kissing down her body. His hands slid the suit off slowly. She stepped out of it, as naked as he had found her in the shower the other night. She looked down at him, her eyes begging for more. He kissed up her leg and over her hips, from one side to the other across her belly. he made his way up to her breast, suckling them greedily. His other hand slid up to her ass, grasping it's plumpness, finally letting himself relish her beauty. She undid his belt, jerking it off as best as she could while moaning his name. He kissed up to her neck and looked down in her blue eyes again, the hand from her mound sliding up to the back of her neck. Jake titled her head back as he let his fingers run through her hair. He hesitated again.

Jake's eyes asked for permission to taste her sweet lips. Sherry accepted by taking his full lips with hers first. They embraced each other fully, hands through each other's hair and down each other's backs, pulling each other nearer as the heat of passion rushed through their bodies. Sherry wanted her first everything to be Jake. She didn't know a kiss would be this enthralling. She kissed his bottom lip softly, smooching at first. When she began to lick his top lip, he pushed her against the wall, pulling her hair gently as her head fell back into his palm. He kissed her hard and passionately. Jake slid both of his hands down over her hips, touching every curve on her body on his way down. He suddenly grabbed her ass and lifted her up to straddle him, pushing her against the wall. Sherry arched her back in orgasm as he kissed her hard and deep, trying to keep up as she twisted her tongue against his. She heard her yelps escaping her, muffled by their lips, his own moans driving her orgasm harder. He lifted one of his legs over his shoulder. She didn't know the sound was coming from herself until he released her. She cried out in passion, gasping for air against his hardness.

Jake opened his eyes slowly, beholding the beauty before him. He tried to still his breath and regain control. He couldn't do this. It wasn't right. "Sherry..." He whispered through his breaths, trying to hold back. She didn't answer with anything more than little moans and the panting of her own excitement. She was driving him while. He shook his head and opened his eyes, looking into hers again. "This... This has to stop... This is wrong." Jake let his forehead drop to the wall again, still holding her against him hard. Sherry gasped out, upset. She brought her hand up and traced her finger up his scar, cupping his cheek, desperate for him to continue. She was about to speak but Jake cut her off. "This has to stop... This is supposed to be with someone you love..." He shook his head again, "Especially for you." He released her leg from his shoulder and pressed free forearm above their heads. He closed his eyes, body still willing and excited. He groaned, trying to pull away. She held him tightly. He didn't want to stop but he had to. He slammed his fist against the wall, the shattered drywall sprinkling down around them like snow.

Sherry was quiet, her eyes glistening with tears again, her happiness fading. "You are someone I love..." She said it. She actually said it... and he couldn't stop her. His eyes were pursed shut as were his lips. "Jake..." She whispered harshly," I want this." She shook her head, closing her eyes, her face tilted towards his. "Whatever this is, I want this... I want you." The fact was, he could never be hers. She knew this. He knew this. She would never be his either.  
"Sherry..." He shook his head, pausing. He looked into her hypnotizing eyes again. "One day, our paths may cross on the battle field." He lied. He didn't want to be a mercenary anymore. He had enough money to abandon the life. He released her ass and put his other arm against the wall, learning his weight on it, begging himself to get off of her. "What if one day we have to be enemies." He shook his head again, "You can't risk your life and your career for me." He gave her the classic stoic Jake look, his eyes narrowing. "I won't allow you to risk your life for me again."

He looked up at his hands. His dirty hands that would never be free of the blood they had spilled. The dirty hands he always thought unclean for such perfection that was Sherry Birkin. "You deserve better, Agent Birkin." When did he ever call her that? He was pulling himself out from under her sweet spell of bliss. "These hands are unclean with blood..." He continued to stare at his hands, disgusted with himself. "Blood spilled for the sake of money I didn't even need after my mother died." he shook his head again, "You deserve better, Sherry and I... I need to take responsibility for my actions." Sherry grasped his waist desperately again, but Jake pulled her hands away. Jake picked up his shirt and put it on.

"Jake..." She whispered but he pretended not to hear, picking up his jacking and swinging his arms into it in one flail swoop. He took his bag and headed to the door. "Jake, wait!" She cried out again, falling to her knees, reaching out for him.  
"I'm sorry, super girl." He shook his head and reached for the door knob, staring at it intensely like it was something he wanted to strangle. He took a deep breath and raised his head, ready to leave. "Super girl," He looked over his should, releasing the door knob. He went back, grabbed a blanket and threw it around her. He gave her a hug, kissing her on the forehead, his final goodbye. "Please... don't cry for me. You saved my life. I want you to think I was worth it..." He shook his head, "...But I'm not."

He let go of her, letting the awkward silence live in the moment. He scooped her up protectively one more time, staring into her twinkling blue eyes. He breathed in her peachy scent and set her down on the couch. Then without a goodbye he went back to the door. He opened it and paused, taking a deep breath, trying to savor this sad moment as much as possible, wishing he could have given her everything he wanted, completing their desires. "I'm bad with goodbyes." He shook his head. He wasn't even there for the death of his mother. "Please... Don't come to the hospital. I promise you'll have my blood." He couldn't help himself from taking one last look over his shoulder. He just couldn't say the words that he felt. Neither shed tears as they gazed at each other one final time. Jake nodded at her, "I'll have it delivered here." Then went through the door, letting it close softly behind his feet. The last sound Sherry heard that reminded of her of him was the sound of his motorcycle speeding away to his home.

Jake kept his promise. She received his blood in a proper carrying case, all labeling enclosed. Sherry dropped it off at the US Consulate, directly into the hands of a UN Ambassador. She looked at her carry-on luggage in the seat beside her, where Jake should have been. She actually kept that stupid outfit he gave her. She frowned before she finished her memo, saved it and sent it to her superiors. She eyed Jake's mug shot one more time before forcing herself to close the computer. Her hands touched it closed lightly, remembering the joy he brought her one last time, like she was closing the door on their relationship. The stewardess distracted her from her thoughts with a cup of hot apple cider, something she knew Jake would have enjoyed. She sipped it, unable to let go of their memories together. She set it down as she received a text message. It was Jake. Had he been thinking of her, too?

It read, "I lowered my asking price... to $50." A smile stretched across her face as she looked out the window. Sherry was still happy, despite knowing they couldn't be together. If their parents weren't lunatics, they would have known each other from youth. Maybe it would have worked then but it was not reality now. They changed their lives for the better and Sherry would learn to love again.

Jake raised his head as he watched Sherry's plane as it rocketed into the sky, a look of solemness on his face. He was sitting on his motorcycle, the road deserted. He could not change what he had done in his past but maybe he could become the person Sherry deserved. He sent her a text message and stared at his phone for a moment. What he had really wanted to say was, "Just because I can't love you, doesn't mean I don't love you." He decided to leave that a secret. No good could come of it. He flicked his phone closed and slipped his phone back into his pocket. He started his bike, letting it purr before taking out the shades she gave him. Slipping them onto his eyes, he took a deep breath, remembering their escape one last time. He smirked a smile, then revved his ride up, spinning it around in the opposite direction before taking off.


	5. Operation orphan pt 1 of 3

**Book 4: A New Purpose: Operation Orphan**

**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

* * *

**"Things Have Changed For Me and That's Okay, I'm On My Way" That Green Gentleman, Panic! At the Disco**

**I know I know, this starts with every post-RE6 action story (ok I think I only saw one or two so far that is action and not romance) but let's speed through it one more time.**

* * *

A boy dressed in traditional desert clothing paced nervously in his small home. He ran to the doorway peering out. His little dark eyes below his white turban lead to a sweet innocent face. His eyes darted nervously at the empty street market before his home. He became terrified of the sight before him as the seven feet tall B.O.W.s invaded his village once more. He stumbled backward into a man wearing a light corduroy hooded robe the color of sand. The man dwarfed the boy with his height. He caught the boy from falling. The boy watched as the man paced for a moment, then went to open the door, pausing to ask about their deal. The boy fumbled, his little hands searching in his brown jacket for the advanced payment. The man removed the bar from the door, a plain 2x4 of wood as the child presented him with an apple. A weary smile spread across the boys face. The man bounced the apple in his hand once, the child watching him with both hope and disbelief, then the man opened the door.

The boy followed cautiously, his bare feet a mere whisper before the howling wind outside. The boy held onto the door frame, hope turning once again to anxiety as he saw the man toss the apple in his hand one more time. He hesitated, then asked the man simple question in English with his sweet accented voice. "Are you going to keep your promise?" The boy asked anxiously, fearing the man's hesitated response. The man looked over his shoulder at the boy, cocking his hooded head as the B.O.W.s drew nearer. Their numbers growing dramatically. The man stared at the approaching crowd of enemies before him. He shook his head, then threw off his robe, revealing his identity.

A smile crept upon the man's full lips as the thrill of the approaching battle and adrenaline seduced him. His blue eyes twinkled with a sense of joy and a lack of fear. A scar on his face showed that ever though he was young, he was battle hardened. His red hair stood out in the sand. He drew his weapon, a 909 handgun. He allowed one quick glance at the apple in his hand before biting into it's juicy sweetness, smiling with satisfaction. He cocked his head slightly, his eyes drawing a plan while counting the numbers of those before him, his gaze and posture unwavering. He spoke softly and concise. "Fair is fair kid."

At 6'3, Jake Muller was nearly matched to the green, scaly J'avo before him. He shot a few rounds off to scatter the herd, then threw his apple into the air. He rushed forward at an assailant with a heavy side kick, delivering a roundhouse to the next. He dropped to the floor, a sweep kick, stirring up a dust devil in the desert sand, leaning onto his arms as he kicked out at another. He blocked an attack with his gloved hands, punching this one with a heavy jab, followed by a series of snake fists. One last roundhouse scattered his enemies as some of them burned and crumbled, ash blown through the wind. He leap up in the air, grabbing his apple, taking another satisfying bite as he sailed in the air towards a building. He gave a hard punch to another scaly J'avo as it leaped a roof towards him. He spun in the air, drawing his weapon to shoot an airborne winged J'avo, kicking another simultaneously. Jake landed with a thud, crushing the skull of one of his fallen scaly victims.

A mercenary from a young age, Jake was battle hardened and ready for anything. He had seen B.O.W.s before. His last encounter was when an American DSO Agent, Sherry Birkin came to "rescue" him, seeking his blood for a cure to the latest bio-hazard virus. It now coursed through his veins, enhancing his strength and speed. He was born the son of a bio-terrorist and virologist, Dr. Albert Wesker. A bastard son, his birth unknown to his now deceased father. This was Jake Muller's new life, getting by on his savings, killing for food and ammunition, swearing to undo his father's wrongs. Sherry taught him he must be responsible for his own actions. She came to save him, often the damsel in distress, what she really saved, was Jake Muller's soul.

His love for the battle never died. Instead of distracting him from his shitty childhood and orphaned life, it now had purpose. He would destroy as much of this shit as possible. Now no longer a slave to money and greed, free of his former mercenary service, he was truly independent this time. He wanted to repent his former sins. The lives he took for money would haunt him forever but now he would honor those deaths and make good of it. He would no longer curse his birth and upbringing rather he would embrace it, knowing now his true calling.

Jake now moved from place to place as a true freelancer. He always went where the wind took him but only now was it of his free will. He left his home European home of Edonia after killing off any stragglers that still had the C-Virus. His blood was being used to make a preventative cure but had not yet been perfected and distributed. Until then, he made sure he would kill every one of these fuckers that had the virus.

He moved through the rooftops and buildings of the deserted city, most of the people in hiding or evacuated. The little boy who stayed behind wanted to return his family to this little village. They had nothing else but their little store. The people here were poor and isolated compared to the wealth in the country. Every day it seemed that a new terrorist group was using B.O.W.s to control and destroy their people, be it greed, politics or ethnic cleansing. His father was that start of these viruses, as was Agent Birkin's parents. Both lived with the guilt of their heritage, both enhanced because of it. Blessed... cursed... But finally, at peace with themselves.

Jake lead the B.O.W.s out towards the village limits, trying to draw them away from any remaining survivors. His apple stuck in his mouth like a roasted pig. He would put an end to this one day. It seemed today would not be that day. He jumped form rooftop to rooftop, pulling a shotgun off of his back and taking out as many winged and bird J'avo as he could. He gritted his teeth as the claws dug in from a crow-like J'avo. It carried him into the air, trying to restrain him. Jake took the opportunity to shoot as many J'avo on the ground as the pain would allow. He threw down some grenades, hoping to piss them off a little more so they would pursue him, then aimed his weapon to the bastard holding him. It cried out and began to dissolve as it swirled to the ground, taking Jake with it. He lost his apple in the fall, rolling to the ground, swearing like a sailor. He reached for his apple, wanting to throw it at one of the J'avo for shits and giggles but it was crushed before him by a giant B.O.W.

Jake laughed sarcastically, shaking his head as he went running for cover, swearing again. He raised like a rocket and hopped onto a jeep near by, searching for the keys. He hoped it worked as the J'avo hissed behind him, closing the distance between. He found its keys conveniently under the floor mat. He laughed and clapped his hands, then stomped on the gas, kicking it up into high gear as he skidded around a corner. He slipped his shades onto his face, adjusting the mirrors to view his pray.

He thought of the blonde he left behind nearly four months ago. Christmas would be coming soon. It would be a year since they met. The shadow of a smile danced across his face for a moment then faded as he realized how fast this giant was getting. He was used to them moving slowly. This one had to have an advanced for of the C-Virus, created with his own blood by that bitch he now knew as Carla Radames, a mutated woman modified to resemble international spy Ada Wong. She was the one that gave Jake the virus. Luckily, he was immune. It merely enhanced him.

Jake fired off a few rounds every now and then, wishing Sherry was there as a backup to shoot them for him. They hadn't spoken since he told her he reduced the asking price for his blood from 50 million dollars to 50 dollars. They left as friends but on extremely awkward terms. It was something he shouldn't be thinking of right now. He didn't want her here. He had to do this alone. He would not endanger her life or career again. He promised that to himself. She was just too valuable a person to die in his arms. He wouldn't allow it. He sped along to a deserted oasis he knew of. There he wouldn't have to worry about damaging buildings and risking lives. Luckily the J'avo were stupid enough to follow.

* * *

**"And a Girl Can Do What She Wants to Do and That's What I'm Gonna Do..." Bad Reputation, Joan Jett and the Black Hearts**

A lone figure wandered through the desert. Dehydrated, hungry, unarmed... Her dark face glistened from the sun as the suns rays danced in the sand before her. It blurred her vision, causing mirages. She forgot where and when this adventure had started, as the weeks went by and her team died off along with her memory. She took the last sip of water from her canteen. She had been in the Sahara desert for more than a month, maybe even longer. She laughed to herself in the heat, feeling like Moses as she wandered form the lush tropics of Sahel in the south where food and water was plentiful. Now she followed the faintest tracks, killing J'avo as she came across them.

She wore a red hood made of thin cotton muslin, to keep the suns rays and sand from ripping the flesh off of her body. Battered and bloody, she continued on, looking for her target. FOS had told her to give up hope, deeming the mission too dangerous to continue. The target was simply not important enough and not enough of a threat to continue. As a woman, she knew she had to rescue her target. Even though the target could take care of herself, she could die in the process. The remaining three in her platoon followed their "little sister" of the group, dying in the heat of the desert or at the hands of the enemy. She pushed on, fighting back the tears building in her hazel green eyes.

Finally, she saw an oasis in the desert and this time it was real. She sat on the shore of the blue pool of water before her and removed her shoes, emptying the sand. She filled her canteen, then lowered her hands cupped hands to the water. She savored it's sweetness, not knowing when she would find such luxury again. She waded into the water, soaking her khaki pants in the process. She decided to relish this moment, setting her canteen and weapons on the shore, all but a dagger at her side. Then she dove in for a well deserved, clothed bath. She let out her long, black, flowing hair and let the water soak it up refreshingly. The water brought out the green in her hazel brown eyes. It felt nice to have the sand off of her skin for a change.

She heard something in the distance, the pond rumbled. She surfaced from the water, looking out in the distance. She could barely make out a small village she had not noticed before. A large B.O.W. heading her way. It was moving fast. She waded to the shore as she heard a vehicle was approaching. She'd have to find cover. She dashed into the bushes, snatching her holsters and throwing them on in a hurry. She cursed under her breath. She forgot her boots. She went to grab them. Too late.

"Fucking Christ!" A man's voice.

She dove into the water as the jeep spun overhead, it's occupant falling into the water on top of her. He was swearing his mouth off, his red hair alight in the sun's rays. He towered over her 5'3 frame. He drew his weapon as she pulled her knife to his throat. She was fast but not fast enough. He slapped her weapon away in the same instance and grabbed her wrist with his hand, pinning it behind her. She threw him over her head with a swift back kick, bucking him like a mule to the shore. He rolled and dove at her, knocking her into the water as the B.O.W. stepped over them. The pair struggled in the water, punching and kicking before surfacing. She scrambled for her dagger again and rose out of the water, clutching it defensively. He waded to the shore, never turning his back, as J'avo began to fill the shore side that was facing the town. "Listen, asshole." He cocked his head and pointed his gun once more, glancing over to see where the huge B.O.W. had gone. It was distracted, searching the jeep. "You got 6 seconds to tell me if you're friend or foe. I'm all out of patience and busy as shit."

"Friend." She called back, throwing her hood back and tying back her wavy wet hair. A smirk curled on his lips.  
"I'm sorry, I never hit a lady before." He threw his hand out to help her up. "Name's Jake, Jake Muller, we better get moving." She accepted the gesture as he pulled her out of the water, her cape heavy but manageable. She actually liked that her cape was cooling her down. She took a good look at the man a stoic look and blue eyes. His facial features seemed familiar.  
"Have we met?" He scoffed and looked away. Did everyone he met randomly with a military type background know his father? He returned his gaze to her. "I'm Sheva, Sheva Alomar." He shook his head at her and pointed at the J'avo heading their way. He screwed a silencer onto a magnum he had.  
"I hope you have one of these babies, cus right now," He gestured with his head towards the massive B.O.W. behind them. "This isn't a good time for that thing to notice us. Gotta ditch these bastards first." He smiled wryly, "Then we can play meet and greet to your heart's content."

They stood back to back, Jake opened fire while Sheva screwed on her silencer. they took out as many as they can. Jake threw in a few barrel and roundhouse kicks to break up the group. Sheva did the same. The whole time she stayed at his back, barely inches away, moving as he moved. He could tell she had done this several times before. The J'avo barely phased her. Jake found her attractive with her greenish-brown hazel eyes and full pouty lips. He couldn't help but notice her ass each time it brushed against him.

"Reload." She called out, bringing him back to reality. Sheva filled her weapon with another clip. Jake nodded as he covered her, switching positions. Then he reloaded his weapon as well. They were getting down to the last of them when the large one came after them again. "Fucking hell..." Jake growled. "...Be right back." He ran over to the topped jeep, fiddling with the gas pedal to see if it still worked. He clapped his hands happily, "Yes! It fucking works!" He began rocking it to try and right it, then looked around for a lever. "Sheva? Mind throwing me your riffle?" He knocked a coconut off the tree. She tossed it over her back and went back to her targets like it was nothing. Jake rubbed his gloved palms together, then got to work. "This better fucking work..." He slammed his foot down on the rifle, hoping not to break it. It came free of the vehicle and smacked him in the head. He stumbled back into Sheva, grumbling random profanities, knocking them both into the water. "Fucking piece of shit..." He surfaced, shaking his head. Sheva shot him a worried but amused look at the bump on his forehead. He threw his arms out at his sides. "Got a better idea, genius?" She shot him a small smile, then pointed at a fallen tree and a rock with her weapon.  
"Help yourself, Mr. Personality."

If it wasn't for her charming, Brittishy but distinctly African accent, he would have found something to fire back but he decided he deserved that one. Jake wasn't exactly a people person or a lady's man. One thing he was good at was being handy. This time when he jacked the vehicle, it flipped over, just in time for the B.O.W. to stomp it out. Jake dove back into the water for cover. "There goes that plan..." He yelled out. "Next?" Sheva shot the last J'avo. He was impressed. "Nice shot... for a girl."  
"Thanks..." She smiled shyly back, "Tease me again about my aim and I may be your foe." She gave him a wink, then noticed the B.O.W. "My rifle?" She put out her hand. Jake pointed to the pile of flaming rubble that was once a jeep, rubbing his chin.  
"Um... It might have made it?" Sheva rolled her eyes. They dove under once more as the B.O.W.s greedy hands went towards them. They surfaced at the other edge, "Chevy was it? I don't think we can outrun this fucker. He's faster than what I've fought before." He shook his head, his eyes widening as the B.O.W. growled before them, it's arms flailing in the air. She shook her head, running around the edge of the water, heading for her rifle again. "I guess we need a plan!"

Sheva reached the wreckage of the jeep, leaping through the giant's fingers as she rolled to the ground and swept up her rifle. She went running towards the village, the B.O.W. on her tail. Jake threw his arms out in frustration, shaking his head. "...the fuck. I just cleared the village." He shook his head once more and jogged after her. Sheva loaded up some flame rounds and was firing as she kited the B.O.W. She noticed Jake running behind it, firing at it's feet with a shot gun. Sheva called out to him.  
"Ever fought this before? It's an ogroman isn't it?" Jake was nearly distracted by the sexy accent.  
"So..." He thought to himself, "This beauty has brains..." Since meeting Sherry Birkin in Edonia Jake was being introduced to a new species of women. "Yeah." He answered back, "Gotta get this fucker on the ground so we can pull his guts out of his neck." He shrugged, his arms at his sides again, "At least that's what I made of it. I've killed two."  
"Well..." She smiled, pausing to reload, "That's two between us." She began to fire at it's leg. "Let's get this started."

* * *

**"I Got My Head Done When I Was Young... It's Not My Problem" Song #2, Blur**

Jake and Sheva decided to use some remote bombs, taking turns taunting and planting as they played monkey in the middle. Every time they would drop a bomb, the other would fire and send the thing running in the opposite direction. Jake could barely contain his joy whenever the stupid Ogroman would fall for the trick. "Chevy... I'm running out of ammo here... I didn't think they'd have one of these." He shook his head, firing as it was his turn and he was down to his last remote.  
"For the last time, Mule..." She shook her head, "It's Sheva."  
"You better have been interrupted saying my last name." He frowned, "Or I may have to smack a lady again." He dropped his bomb and ran back some distance, leading the B.O.W. to the bomb for hopefully the last time. He called out to Sheva when she didn't respond to his joke. "Your turn, Queen of the Nile."  
Sheva growled and began firing again. She sent a shot near Jake Muller's head. "Bitch. He called back, then hit the switch on his bomb. The Ogroman went down. "About fucking time..." He called out as he ran up it's body, grabbing the pole at the back of it's head. He started tugging out the organs while Sheva coninued to pump the last of her ammo into it's face.

"I'm out!" Sheva called out to Jake just as the organs slushed out of the Ogroman. He shook his head at her, holding onto the pole as Sheva shrugged at his sneering face. Jake never carried a knife. His lighter sure wasn't going to do anything. He started laying punches and kicks into the thing but it just jiggled like Jello.  
"Well that didn't work. Got a knife?" She shrugged at him. Wasn't a knife a standard thing? She took hers out and threw it up towards the organ. Jake grabbed it. stabbing and slashing at the beast.  
"Thanks, Chevy. Looks like this might do it." He rolled his eyes, making a disgusted face, then continued slashing. "This is so gross..." The blood flew all over as the beast went down. Jake was covered in sand, blood and guts. He leaped off as the thing went down with a loud thump, spewing sand everywhere. Now Jake looked like a stone figure. He was just covered in blood and sand. He shook his head, holding the knife out to Sheva, complete disgust on his face. "Here..." He pushed the handle at her until she took it. He looked down at his clothes. "This... This is just great." He shook his head, wishing he still wore his robe. "God..." He looked at the sky and cocked his head, shaking it again. "This is fucking bullshit..." He yelled in frustration and headed off to the oasis, Sheva following cautiously behind him.

Not wanting to contaminate the water, Jake used a stick to draw a stream out to a little hole he dug. He scrubbed the blood off with the sand he was already covered in. "I smell like a fucking zombie..." He shook his head, still cursing as he rubbed it off of him. "Sometimes, I wonder what the fuck I'm doing..." He thought of Sherry and how hard she'd be laughing at him right now with a look of empathy in her eyes. She'd be helping him scrub this crap off probably. He growled and tried to make conversation with his silent watcher. "Well... what are you doing out here?" He looked at her red, simple robe and the khaki cargo pants and knee high leather boots. He thought of how skilled she was with a gun and in combat. She couldn't be a rookie agent like Sherry. "Mercenary? Or former child soldier with a vendetta?" Sheva nodded at Jake.  
"Both... You can say..." She shrugged, "I'm a one girl army at this point." Jake reached out her hand to shake it, then realized how dirty it was.  
"Same." He shrugged back. "I'm my own boss now, though," he cocked his head with a smirk, "...the wages surely suck when you're self employed." He noticed how fatigued and sunburned she was. "You look pretty hungry and tired. Need a place to hold out for a while?" He smiled, "I've never done this before," he shook his head with a sigh, "but it wouldn't be right to leave a lady out in this heat, especially when you helped me take those bastards out." She gave him a nod. They marched towards the village hoping no more B.O.W. would arrived before they got back.

"So..." Sheva started, "Have we met before..." Jake looked away for a moment, annoyed again. She watched him with those large brown eyes, the hint of green reflecting the sun off the desert's sand. Jake sighed, shaking his head.  
"I've been to Africa before with my old mercenary group. I've been all over the world at this point." She nodded, her gaze returning to the village they were approaching. Jake paused for a moment, thinking of the amount of artillery the little girl was packing. He watched her cute butt wiggle in the sand as the clothes stuck to her body against the wind. "You aren't a BSAA Jarhead are you?" His stern look returned to his face, his eyes growing narrow in annoyance. Sheva paused, turning to face him.  
"What makes you think that?" She smiled warmly, withholding the truth to her advantage. "I can hold my own, Mr. Muller." She put a hand on her hip, sizing him up and taking in his features. "Perhaps you can help me with my mission." Jake gazed at her for a moment, his stern look softening. The old Jake Muller would have asked what was in it for him. The new Jake Muller? "Fine. So long as it has something to do with killing B.O.W.s and these fucking J'avo."

"What's a J'avo?" She asked, her eyes blinking as she waited for his response. He scoffed again, turning away. "Really..."  
"Where have you been lady, under a rock?" Jake waited outside a farmer's stall. He hopped the guy would come back any time now. He was no longer the type to steal. The merchant arrived and shoved a pair of apples into Jake's hands, refusing payment. Jake thanked him quickly and continued on. He retrieved his robe and put it on to battle the heat. "Really now..." He began pressing her for answers. Sheva ate half her apple, then sat down a table Jake lead her to. He crossed his arms and put a foot up on the table, leaning back in his chair. "So?" He raised an eyebrow at her pretty face. "I'm waiting lady."

I'm sorry, Mr. Muller. It's just been about a week since I've eaten anything. If you hadn't found me..." She shook her head, then placed the apple on the table, closing her eyes with a sigh. "I lost all of my comrades in that desert. I came up from the south, lost most of my equipment..." She looked at him again. He wanted to hear more. "Alright. I'm here to retrieve a girl. She was kidnapped from the United States. They asked me to track her location but... we were attacked." She looked over in the distance towards the oasis, "The reconnassaince lead us to here, wherever this is."  
"Egypt." He scoffed again, looking her in the eye. "You're in Egypt." Her eyes opened wide. She made it all the way here? Alone? Alive? "Go on?" he broke her concentration.

"I can't believe I'm in Egypt... I left just after the outbreak of the C-Virus. I left the day that they attacked China. They asked us to pull out, to help with the operation but, I couldn't abandon my target." It was Jake's turn to stare wide eyed. "I came from the Sahel in the south. Our vehicle was destroyed a few days into the journey. I've been tracking her here ever since but those... things... destroyed the trail." Jake stood up from his position and began to pace.  
"You've been wandering around like Moses for at least 3 months, almost four." He shook his head, "I survived China." he paused, he really shouldn't be giving anyone that information, especially some merc like himself that he just met." He saw the look of shock in her eyes. "Alright, come this way." He lead her to the house he had left before killing all the J'avo. "I'll explain the J'avo and C-Virus to you..." he shrugged, "I'm kinda becoming an expert."

Jake lead her to the place everyone would hide when J'avo came around. "There's food, shelter, water..." He shook his head, "No privacy but if you're a merc that shouldn't bother you." He looked out the window, always watching for J'avo. "You can stay here as long as you need. I plan on clearing out once these attacks clear out."  
"Thank you." She smiled and nodded softly. Jake rubbed his neck. This whole thing was still new to him. Social interactions without violence.  
"You're welcome." He stepped out of the small room and closed the door. Sheva looked around. There were four bunk beds in the tiny space. It must have housed other women who were out at the moment. She needed a phone. She opened the door and called out for Jake. He showed her to the one room with a phone in it. She collect called to her agency when he wasn't near. BSAA West Africa.

"Yes... Please do." They decided to patch her directly to Chris Redfield of BSSA North America. She watched nervously from below her hood as she waited, hoping Jake wasn't around the corner. He seemed to be the type with authority issues and didn't seem to like the BSSA. She figured it had something to do with facing the BSSA. Jake did ask if she was a "Jarhead." Finally, a hello on the other end. "Chris. It's Sheva. Yes, I was missing for nearly four months. I was updated about the new virus from a mercenary. They asked me to report directly to you about the situation." He filled her in on J'avo, the attacks on Washington and the take down of Neo-Umbrella. He asked about the "mercenary" that was helping her out. "Yes, his name is Jake Muller."  
"Muller?" Awkward silence. "Where exactly are you in Egypt?"  
"I don't know yet. I promise I'll give you coordinates as soon as I know." She watched nervously for Jake. Still no sign of him.

"Sheva." She listened for the rest, another long pause. "Muller's file is classified by the BSAA now. You need to know this though and do not share the information with anyone. He is the son of Albert Wesker."  
"Wesker?" She nearly spoke too loudly. Chris continued.  
"Yes, right now the UN has the worlds best scientists working on a cure for the C-Virus. It's almost at the stage to be ready for testing but there aren't really any volunteers." Another pause, "You need to be very careful. I'm glad you made it so far with the C-Virus but you really shouldn't be there. Manuela Hidalgo is probably long dead from her own blood. Any idiot that wants her blood is asking for a lot of trouble. Jake's immune to the virus, just like his father." He paused again, "I told him I killed him cus he deserved to know but he doesn't know a thing about you."

Chris paused again. He had forgotten for a moment who Sheva was to Wesker. An orphaned victim due to Wesker's work with Umbrella. Her family was killed in a secret African based chemical plant, Umbrella Plant 57, researching the Progenerator Virus. They were told it was to provide cures to the virus. Everyone was killed when the plant was destroyed, covered up by the disguise of "an industrial accident." She paused in shock for a moment. Jake and her were on even terms it seemed. Wesker killed her parents, she killed Jake's father. "Sheva, I'm sorry. You deserve to know. Please, just don't do anything irrational. The world may still need him."  
"I know, Chris. He's helping people here to kill B.O.W.s and eradicate the virus." She nodded, "I know he is not his father." That still didn't help the pain that came with it.  
"Alright, Sheva. If you are going through with this, you will need his help. I'm going to make sure FOS knows where you are. The DSO already volunteered an agent familiar with the C-Virus to give you a hand. She will be there in twelve hours. Just sit tight and get us your location."  
"Understood. From what I know, I am west of the Nile in a small village that borders and oasis. I will get the rest of the details to you soon." She paused again, "Thank you, Chris."  
"Anytime, partner. I'd help you myself if I wasn't tied up. You know that. Goodluck."

* * *

**Untitled as well, no time to look up music, toddler bugging me and hubby has the flu lol. will typo check later, I know I have some spelling errors.**

Sheva asked around in English and French until someone could answer her question for her. She was looking for where Jake disappeared to. It was getting late in the day and she was already behind on tracking her target. She approached the shabby little bar. The sand swirled in through the broken windows. There were artillery shells lodged in the building's walls. She opened the front door that was falling off of its hinges. She looked around at the figures around her. Some wore turbans, most wore robes. Her eyes scanned for a familiar face. Sheva just couldn't find him in the crowd. Sheva took a seat at the bar and ordered a glass of water.

Jake was at the bar, sipping a Capt'n'coke. He smiled as he saw the frustrated African brunette plunk herself down and order a water. He was at the end of the bar, smirking to himself under his corduroy hood. If the shadow of the hood didn't mask his blue eyes she would have found him easily. Sheva stared at her glass as if thought. Jake watched her from the corner of his eye as he took in the conversations around him.

He realized not too long ago that his ability to sense when enemies were lurking near by was not just combat instinct and experience. The C-Virus had enhanced his senses as well. He savored his drink, ordering another, as he admired Sheva from afar. She was definitely his type. Jake wasn't a racist and he did like his dark meat. Sheva wore her robe open, her hood up, the robe draped over her shoulders. She wore a fitted, violet colored tank top over a pair of green khaki cargo pants. Her brown boots elongated her legs she had crossed at her ankles. She sipped her water, taking in the crowd the same way Jake did.

Jake wondered what her real agenda was and if he could really trust her. He was here trying to gather information on her target. So far a no-go. At least he got to take in some eye candy. She really was his type. She was even a mercenary like him. That removed a lot of conflict of interest issues. It was a long time since Jake was in a relationship, if you can even count what he had with Sherry as one. He shook his head and downed another drink. One thing he hated about the C-Virus was his enhanced metabolism. He wished he could down himself in a bottle to enjoy the bliss of being in a booze induced stupor but that hadn't happened since he left Edonia almost a year ago. "Energy booster indeed..." He stared down the glass and finished it off.

He ordered two more drinks and slid one down the bar to Sheva. She looked up and watched the glass slide to a halt in front of her with precision. She looked over to its origin at a smirking Jake Muller. His blue eyes were intense in the candle lit bar. He picked himself off of the stool easily, throwing his leg over it as he got off of it backwards. He kicked his leg over the bar stool beside Sheva, straddling it backwards, placing his hands on the backrest as he watched her intensely. He was merely tipsy but he knew that wouldn't last long. "So." He started, "Why are you really here."

"I told you everything I know..." He cut Sheva off.  
"Save the bullshit." He shook his head, "I overhead you talking to Chris of the BSAA. Are you after my blood or something?" Anger lit his bright blue eyes as they narrowed under his brows, a sneer on his face. His scar accentuated with the shadows of his chiseled face in the moonlight. "My relationship to my father, is classified." He stared deeply into her eyes. Such a soft, pretty face for such a badass hot momma. "Just who are you?"  
Sheva took a sip of the drink Jake had given her. Jake took his back as well. They continued their staring competition, both resisting the urge to draw a weapon. Sheva sighed deeply, then looked out of the window.  
"I told you, I'm here to find a missing girl. She is under the protection of the United States but they lost her, so they called me to help bring her in."  
"And?"  
"And I'm going to be supplied with information and weapons from Chris Redfield of the BSSA." She looked into his eyes deeply, noticing a spark of curiosity as well as anger.  
"What's your relation to Redfield?" He half-growled, seeming disinterested.  
"He was my partner in Africa six months back. We were after a bio-terrorist." Sheva resisted the urge to bite her lip. She didn't want to open a can of worms with this guy. She was obviously outmatched by his abilities. He was nearly as fast as his father from what she had seen. Now was not the time to deal with him. She continued, steering the conversation to her advantage. "This person we were after, he had killed my parents here in Africa. Umbrella Corp. had been working with another group. They killed everyone involved, with or without knowledge of their plans." She called to the bartender for another drink, then continued. "Redfield knows I would try to bring this girl in but even he knows it probably won't be a successful mission." She shook her head, "They want to call in a DSO agent to help out." Jake's stretched himself to his full height, seeming both interested and unnerved.  
"Did they give you the agent's name?" He listened intently as he asked her with agitation. Sheva smiled softly before answering.  
"Agent Sherry Birkin."

Jake scoffed. He knew DSO usually worked alone on missions and he was not going to allow Sherry to stick her neck out here. It was bad enough this virologist was probably his father. He didn't feel it was the time to ask. If Wesker killed her parents, she had every right to kill him now, yet here she was, asking for his help to complete her mission.  
"I'll still help you..." He shook his head, "On one condition." He gestured with his finger, staring deeply into Sheva's eyes. "You get Jarhead to call off the DSO and we have a deal." Sheva nodded. She got up to leave then paused on the way out. She could feel Jake's eyes burrowing into her back. She turned to face him, his eyes asking her "What?" Sheva shook her head. "Nothing Mr. Muller. We have a deal." She smiled softly, looking over her shoulder. "Have a pleasant night." Jake nodded, returning the shadow of a smile.  
"I'll come by in the morning. We need to discus some," he was going to say issues, "plans." He decided he didn't want any conflict now. He'd rather extend her courtesy of not killing each other and get this shit over with. "Goodnight."

* * *

**Untitled**

Sheva returned to the shelter, calling Chris as soon as she had settled in. It was a proper time to call anyways seeing as how it was still afternoon in the states. She called collect again, not wanting to burden the people who owned the phone line. Chris answered, a smile in his voice. "Sheva. It's good to hear from you again." Sheva sighed.  
"Not so much I'm afraid." She paused for a moment. "You need to call the DSO off." Silence on the other end. "Chris. This is the only way Muller will aid me and the only intel I have is what he can offer. I'm sorry."  
"Sheva. Birkin knows him. She was with him in China." He sighed back. "From my experience with her and from what Claire told me from when Birkin was a child in the Raccoon City incident, you have a problem on your hands." He paused again, "Birkin has already been briefed about the situation. She doesn't know where you guys are but she knows you are with Muller."  
"Chris, you must stall her, at least until I pick the trail back up. We shan't be in this village for longer than necessary."  
"Sheva... Agent Birkin won't stop until she knows Jake is safe. They have a history together. They spent six months imprisoned when she was on protective detail. Muller was her protectee. If you want this, I'm going to have to do more than pull a few strings. I'll have to lock her up in jail and even that wont hold her."  
"I'm asking for one week. This is non-negotiable, Chris. Please." She begged. She had to find this girl and get out.  
"Fine." Another pause, "Good luck. You will need it. Expect Birkin on your heels in the morning."  
"Understood. Thank you, Chris."

Sheva wandered to her room, shaking her head. She didn't want to disturb the family she was bunking with. She decided to grab her pillow and blanket and take to the hall. She closed the door behind her softly, then bumped into a hard, muscled chest. She stumbled, tripping on the blanket. He grabbed her by the waist to steady her. "Easy, easy girl." Jake Muller smiled softly at Sheva. "I didn't mean to scare you. Was just doing my rounds and checking in on the refugees." He walked with her to a couple mattresses in the hallway. "You get your pick." He pointed to them.  
"Thanks, partner." She smiled softly, taking the one on the end of the hall.

They lay facing each other, Jake filling her in on what he knew from the bar. The group with the girl were heading east towards the Nile, then they would head into Europe, most likely Spain. They had to leave first thing in the morning. He asked if Birkin was called off. Sheva shook her head.  
"Not exactly. We have one week at most but Chris has no authority to hold her back. Manuela Hidalgo is under protection by the United States, so rightfully this mission belongs to the DSO, not the BSAA." Jake looked annoyed every time he heard that abbreviation.  
"This is the last time I'm going to ask." He held his hand out, pointed towards her. "Are you BSAA or not." Sheva sighed and nodded. "Alright. We have a lot to do in the morning." He rolled over to sleep. "Better have a rendezvous for those weapons in the morning and Birkin had better not know where." Sheva smiled softly with concern.  
"We need to get to Cairo. I can collect them there."  
"Great..." He grumbled, "We are near Farafra. By the time we get there, Sherry will be involved in this shit." He growled, trying to keep his voice down so he wouldn't disturb anyone.  
"That's the best i could do. You hadn't told me before where we were."  
"Hey." He called out with annoyance, "Just hope a sandstorm doesn't keep us back." He swore under his breath again before his last grumble. "Goodnight."

Sheva awoke to the sound of praying the next morning. People sat facing the east on little mats out in the courtyard, their prayers echoing into the hallway. Jake was no where in sight. She wandered to the fountain for a drink of water when she spotted Jake returning with a tray of fruit and pita looking bread with hummus on the side. "Yeah, eggs and bacon not too popular as a morning thing around here, sorry." He shrugged, handing her a plate.  
"Thank you." Sheva smiled softly. He smiled back, his eyes catching the morning rays. "Mr. Muller..." She started, he cut her off.  
"Please, Jake is fine... I'm not exactly regal, am I?" He shrugged, leaning back against the wall as he bit into his apple.  
"...Jake. What is your inhibition with the DSO? Does it bother you that I'm BSAA?" He looked annoyed, staring out a window, his arms crossed as he ate his apple. He slumped to the floor. She joined him as they ate in the circular alcove that contained the fountain. A spiral stair case was off to the side where Jake had come from. he didn't answer until he finished his apple, turning to face her with a grunt.

"What's it to you?" He smirked softly. He shook his head and came lead her to the stairs where it was more comfortable to sit. "Listen," he shook his head. "Sherry may be DSO but she isn't exactly battle experienced. If she was to get..." He thought about the word for a moment, shaking his head. It was unlikely Sherry could die but if it were to happen. The words were bitter in his mouth. "If she was captured or killed, I wouldn't be able to live with myself again. I'd probably go back to being the bitter, selfish prick I was." He looked up at the morning rays cutting through the room. "She... she saved me. I was a lost soul after my mother died." He shook his head, "I never knew my father." Sheva's heart pained at that. She had taken Wesker's life. She shook her head at Jake.  
"Sometimes it's best not to know." Jake snapped his head towards her and he looked her up and down before he responded.  
"What the hell do you know?" His stare was harsh and his eyes grew cold and distant.  
"Jake... I'm an orphan, too. I became a child soldier, a mercenary, to escape my cruel uncle." She stared at the fountain to her right, enjoying how the water spewed out from the top, bubbling into the pool below it. "I couldn't live with my extended family. I was hungry and neglected. Once I found out how my parents really died, murdered... Not an industrial accident like I was told." She shook her head, then turned to face Jake. "I joined the BSAA. I swore I would end what Umbrella started. I would avenge my parents." She looked away, unable to face the truth before her. She didn't know Wesker, as cruel as he was, could have fathered a child. Jake watched her silently, then back at the light coming through the naked windows.  
"So... Did you avenge your family?" He spoke distantly. "Did it feel good to kill the person that destroyed your family?"

Sheva stared at him in shock. Did he know? She looked for the words to tell him but couldn't find them. "Jake... I... I was with."  
"Save it." He shook his head. "You said you were Chris' partner. I know my father was a lunatic." He continued to watch the window. "I just wish I had the satisfaction of doing it myself." He pushed off the stairs and turned to go up them. Sheva reached her hand out and softly touched his leg.  
"Jake. It wasn't for the satisfaction... Or revenge." She shook her head then looked into his deep blue eyes. "I had nothing personal with Wesker, just with his organization." She shook her head, "Nothing will ever bring my parents back." She let his leg go as he snapped his gaze back to the top of the stairs and marched off. He stopped at the top of the stairs, regaining his composure.  
"Sheva," He called out softly, "We need to go. Cairo is a long ride away."

* * *

**Untitled**

Sheva offered to drive the Hummer as Jake sat in the passenger seat. He kept cracking his knuckles as he stared out the window, constantly balling his hands into fists. The village he saved offered enough food for the trip in gratitude for clearing out the B.O.W.s. He pulled out his lighter with a sigh, flicking it open and closed, dancing his fingers through the flame in annoyance and boredom. This was going to be a long, awkward ride. It reminded him of the time he was trapped in the cabin with Sherry, neither wanting to speak about what had happened but this was different. His father was responsible for the death of Sheva's parents which resulted in the shitty life they had in common, being a child soldier and an orphan.

Sheva broke the silence, filling him in on their target. Manuela Hidalgo. She was the only living person with the T-Veronica virus. The only other survivor, Alexia Ashford, was killed by Redfield. Wesker had wanted Alexia, believing her to be the perfect woman to create his super race with. Jake scoffed at that, balling up his fists. While he and his mother lived in poverty, his mother dying from lack of medical care, his father was chasing tail somewhere else. It angered him greatly. He smacked the dashboard, releasing the air bag. "For fucks sake." He cursed as he pushed it out of the way. It deflated before him. He shook his head in annoyance. Sheva concentrated on her driving, trying not to fall off the spiraling canyon road. It was rather hysterical but she was trying her best not to get onto the young man's bad side. She continued when he returned to a calmer state of mind.

"Manuela Hidalgo, just like Alexia Ashford, has flammable blood."  
"Geez, that's great..." He looked at Sheva. "What do they want with it?" Sheva shook her head. She didn't know. She passed Jake a photo of Manuela. She was pretty with blondish brown hair and tanned skin. Her right arm was bandaged from her fingers to her shoulder. "Nice." He smiled. He seemed to wonder where all these hot, strange women were coming from. They all seemed to be the same age, too. "So, my intell says they are luckily cutting through Cairo." He shrugged as he passed the photo back, "Hopefully anyways. Either way we can cut them off before they hit Spain. We can try going through Sinai." They locked eyes for a moment, then Sheva jerked her view back to the road. J'avo. They made a road block before them, an RPG aimed straight for them. Sheva swerved, spinning the vehicle into the J'avo. It spun into the J'avo, killing them instantly as they burned to a crisp beneath the vehicle. Jake and Sheva breathed a sigh of relief too soon as the RPG exploded beneath them, ignited by the J'avos decomposition. The Hummer flew up in the air, then rolled uncontrollably down into the canyon below the road.

Jake kicked the door open, hoping to hop out, knowing with this fall, even if his airbag was intact, there was not much hope for survival. The door was shredded off as the vehicle spun out of control. Sheva tried to steady it, using her driving skills to try to right the vehicle again. She nearly succeeded before the vehicle slipped out of control once more. "Brace yourself!" She called out to Jake. He tucked himself up, placing one hand on the dashboard to protect his face, the other covering his head. The vehicle flipped backwards, landing upside down. The back of the vehicle took most of the impact. They teetered to a half after sliding further down into the pit.

Jake awoke first. His head throbbed. He was happy to be alive. He looked outside warily, then unhooked his seat belt, landing on his knees and forearm. Glass was scattered every where. He looked over to his left. Sheva was still secure in her seat. She dangled like a doll from her seat belt. Her air bag seemed to have saved her from most of the impact, surprisingly. She had flecks of glass and blood all over her, much like Jake. Unlike him and Sherry though, she was still 100% human. He grabbed her gently, checking her vitals. She was alive and breathing. He pulled her towards himself, securing her over his shoulder, then unhooked her belt. Jake didn't trust this hummer to last much longer in the shape it was in. He could smell the gas leaking. He turned off the ignition just in case, then dragged himself out of the vehicle, pulling Sheva behind out him by her boots. He secured her a distance away, then returned for their supplies. They were good as dead out here without food, water and ammunition. He looked up at the skies above them when he returned to Sheva's location in a small hallow in the opposite side of the gorge. Some flying bird J'avo circled overhead, searching for them. He pulled Sheva deeper into the small cave.

Jake began to assess her injuries. He touched her gently, palpating with his hands at her organs. She had a few cracked ribs, hopefully not broken right through. Her left shoulder was dislocated, wrist broken, along with some broken bones in her hands. He set her shoulder, hearing her groan uncomfortably in her sleep. He gave her a some hemostatic herbs from the first aid kit, forcing her to swallow them with some water. There were not enough bandages in the small kit. He looked at their robes. It was getting dark. Her robe would be easier to tear with it's plain threading. His would be warmer as a blanket for the night. Jake got to work, tearing the fabric. He undressed Sheva where necessary, trying not to let his stairs linger as he got to work. Jake smiled to himself. He really did seem to attract cleavage these days. He shook the thought off and bandaged Sheva's ribs tightly. He redressed her and bandaged her wrist and hand. He took a peek at the "birds" circling ahead. They were still at it. It was going to be a long night.

He pulled his robe around them like a blanket. He balled her robe into a pillow and placed it gently behind Sheva's head to support her neck. Jake put his arms around her for warmth, trying not to be aroused by her curves. The desert was merciless on a clear night. The temperature dropped to near freezing in the canyon. Jake didn't want Sheva to go into shock. He tried to use his cell phone to get in touch with Sherry but had no reception. He'd have to climb to the top of the cavern for a signal. He shook his head and put it away for now. Once Sheva was warm, he rolled over with his back against her body and drifted off to a half sleep, ever weary of the J'avo's presence not far above them.

Sheva groaned. Her head ached, nearly as much as her ribs and arm. "Shhh..." He heard a whisper. Jake. "We're not safe here." He continued. She took in their surroundings. It was very cold. She shivered slightly as she lifted her head to look out of their dugout. Their vehicle lay smoking but in once piece across the canyon, the moonlight bouncing off of it. She heard the caws from the birds above, much too big to be common vultures. "Try to stay still," Jake whispered again, "...before you risk puncturing a lung." He was barely covered with the top end of his robe draped only over his torso, his knees tucked as high as they would go to his chest. He shivered lightly as he crawled out from under the robe, cell phone in hand. "Look Sheva, you are in rough shape. I don't know if you remember the accident." She nodded. She remembered it clear as day. "Okay, it's been a good twelve hours that you've been out." He pointed outside. "I need to climb up there and get a signal to Agent Birkin." The words sounded funny coming from his mouth. Jake always called Sherry by her first name. "Screw calling her off this." He shook his head, "You are in no shape to continue this shit and we've got a job to do." Jake took Shiva's riffle with him, along with a couple flash grenades. He pulled out some cigarettes from his jacket. "I need to blow our truck. It's leaked almost all its gas by now..." He shook his head, "I just hope this works. With this lighting and my complexion? I'm going to be a dead giveaway to these fucker." Sheva nodded. She resisted the urge to follow. He passed her his 909 handgun. "Just in case." With a wink in her direction, he was gone.

Jake crept as quietly as he could to the truck, the cigarette lit in his mouth. He puffed along, savoring it. It was a long time since he had a smoke. It wasn't a habit he ever got addicted to but he found it relaxing now and then. He didn't want to lose his lighter so he kept a pack on him just in case. It worked to his benefit today. He flicked it towards the puddle of gas not far before him. He thought he missed but the wind picked up the ember in it's wake. The truck blew up, blasting debris everywhere. "That's my cue." Jake smirked, running back to Sheva's side of the canyon as his distraction worked. The J'avo scattered, one inspecting the still flaming gas puddle, the other angered by the debris that hit him. the third disintegrated as it was hit with debris.

Jake pulled himself along, still bruised everywhere from the crash. He cursed to himself under his breath a few times as his feet slipped out from under him. He kept checking for the damn birds. Luckily Jake was dressed all in black, wearing his outfit from China. He continued upward, his gloved hands being cut by the sharp limestone walls of the canyon. He gritted his teeth. He was almost near the top. He tucked himself into a hallow and tried his phone once more, successfully. He tried several times but couldn't get a clear enough signal to speak to Sherry. He sent her a text message instead. "Super girl, I'm in Egypt with BSSA Sheva Alomar. We're somewhere between Farafra and Bavaria in a canyon. J'avon on route. Shiva injured. Will meet near Cairo when possible." He waited desperately for a response as the J'avo pair regrouped. They moved on, seeming disinterested in finding them anymore. Finally, a response. "Ok Wiskers, meet you there in 2 days." He smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. It had been so long since he had the balls to speak to Sherry after what happened between them. He looked forward to their meeting with both joy and regret. He thought back at what she said. "Whiskers?" He shook his head and flung his phone back into his pocket as he shimmied back down the hill.


	6. Operation orphan pt 2 of 3

**Untitled**

**Warning: This part guaranteed to piss off JakexSherry fans. Let the hate mail begin for Jake x Sheva.**

It had been three hours since Jake had left and the sun was starting to rise. Sheva was starting to fear the worst. She pulled herself up and stumbled toward the entrance, leaning against the wall. Her ankle had swollen in the last few hours. She bandaged it over her boot with a splint of wood, afraid to remove her boot. Jake jumped down. Sheva stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud as Jake startled her. A smirk curled his lips as he raised an eyebrow. "Smooth..." He put himself under her good shoulder and pulled her up close to him. They were greatly ill-proportioned. Jake laughed, shaking his head. "Here, I'll carry you. We'll have to hope those J'avo left us a ride." Jake handed her all their gear and scooped her up into his arms. He cocked his head, "Jesus girl, what do you weigh?" He shrugged at her annoyed stare, her big brown eyes ever so cute as they narrowed. A smirk curled his lips again, "Must be all the guns."

Sheva held on to Jake's waist, tied to him by a short lead if either of them slipped. All the weapons and gear slung around them both. They wore their robes to keep the heat and mosquitoes off. "Good... Mosquitoes..." Jake smirked. Sheva shook her head.  
"I hate the little devils." Jake shook his head.  
"Not me... Right now? They are telling me we are close to water." He grunted as he pulled along, Sheva helped by kicking off when he did, boosting them up a little further each time as their gear weighted them down. "The next water source is at Baharia." He eyed the barrier they had crashed through near the top of the gorge. "That means we'll be in Cairo in no time... If we can secure a ride." He groaned against all the pain he felt, grunting with each reach of his arms. The fatigue was starting to get to him after already climbing the other side of the gorge before. He had now been going for a good three hours with Sheva on his back. He crawled on to a shallow ledge, reaching his hand down to pull Sheva up. He hauled her and all their stuff, untied himself, then slumped against the wall.

Jake closed his eyes, breathing in the desert air. He could smell flowers and fruit on the wind, something he hadn't noticed in the Hummer before. "Jake..." Sheva half whispered with her pretty accent. Her big brown eyes soaking up his looks with her view. "I want to thank you, for everything." She pulled herself towards him, wincing with pain. She gave him a hug. "I never meant any harm to befall you." She smiled warmly as she looked up at his fair skin, a true contrast to her own deep tan. She didn't realize her hand had crept up to his face, her finger stroking the deep scar on his cheek. He scoffed and turned away. The only woman who he had let touch his face was Sherry. He looked back down into Sheva's green-brown eyes. She hadn't flinched at all. "I... I'm sorry." She apologized, pulling her hand away as her tanned cheeks flushed. She tucked her hands behind her back and stared out at the valley below.

"No biggy. I just... Never let anyone touch me like that." He shrugged. "This scar is a memory of a hard lesson... I just hate being judged for it." He lifted his own gaze from the valley to Sheva. She nodded, still looking below. She spotted some Lilly of the Valley flowers and tucked them behind her ear. Under the hard surface lay a soft, feminine spirit. She smiled, twirling a flower in her hand. "These were my mother's favorite." Her smile faded to a slight frown. "She always wore that scent... She'd make perfume by hand out of them..." She looked over to Jake, smiling slightly before turning away, blushing again. "Extracts were her specialty." Jake smiled back knowingly.

"My mother's favorite was roses." He scanned the horizon for J'avo. Still clear. Jake shook his head. "The whole house was plastered with rose rugs and curtains." He would allow himself to remonisse for now. He took out one of his smokes and lit it, just to distract himself and his thoughts. He offered Sheva one. She shook her head. He outed his cigarette, knowing it was rude to smoke in front of non-smokers. "I don't actually smoke." Jake shook his head, "It's not healthy." He shrugged, "...was just looking to keep my hands busy." He started flicking his lighter open and closed like he always did when the silence grew awkward. He smirked and cocked his head, shaking it. "Life seems to be full of awkward silences these days." Sheva smiled, watching the horizon with him. They were shaded by the edge of a cliff below. Jake brushed the mosquitoes off of his robe. "Well, as you know, my dad is immune to most viruses, so I guess I'm not afraid of getting West Nile." He slapped another off his leg. "These things just bug the shit out of me." Sheva giggled at Jake's annoyance.

"Jake..." She whispered softly, "I feel like I've known you forever." She smiled softly, the blush still across her cheeks. He tried to read what she was thinking behind those dark-lashed eyes. She leaned her head against his shoulder, her butterfly lashes licking his skin. He put an arm around her as they watched the clouds float by. She slid her hand over to his on her shoulder, then looked up at him, cheeks still pink. Jake smiled softly, his intense blue eyes watching her expressions.  
"I never knew a dark girl could blush." This just made Sheva redder. She turned away, her eyes wandering again to the valley below and the little hovel that they had spent the night in. "Sheva." He whispered her name, catching her chin with his fingers. He turned her to face him. "I see how you look at me." She paused, then nodded lightly. This was the kind of woman Jake felt he could settle down with. She was a former mercenary, just like him. She could defend herself and keep up with him. She was as strong willed as the woman he loved, without all the complications. There was no way he'd join the BSAA but if he kept on killing B.O.W.s there would be no reason for them to fight each other. Jake had two days to forget the woman he loved in exchange for the woman he admired. He looked into her deep green-brown eyes and made a decision.

Jake had nothing to lose. He took in the softness of her tanned face as his fingers went up to play with her soft, curly hair. He untied her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders into bouncy waves. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes, closing his as he went in for the kill. She put her arms around him, leaning in with a soft moan. The kiss was spectacular and desensitizing. Jake tingled from his head to his toes. It just wasn't the same feeling as being with Sherry though. He smiled at her the long embrace. This was simple, perfect, uncomplicated... At least compared to how he felt with Sherry Birkin. Alas, the heart always desires what it cannot have.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head, gazing out onto the horizon. She nodded at him knowingly, a smile on her face.  
"It's okay." She shrugged, "We all get lonely on the battlefield. It doesn't have to lead to a relationship." She still blushed as she looked him over, removing her robe. "Jake..." She whispered in his ear, pulling his robe up slowly, as if to ask permission. They began to undress each other with their eyes and their hands. He paused as she went for his pants, frozen in his own thoughts.  
"I can't..." He shook his head. "I... Sherry..." He shook his head again, "Agent Birkin..." Sheva smiled softly.  
"Do you love her?" Jake had to think for a moment. Did he? He nodded.  
"Sherry and I... We could never... We're just too different. I'll never be with her..."  
"Is she your girlfriend?" She asked, looking deeply into his blue eyes. He paused, then shook his head. She smiled warmly, straddling as she pulled his belt. "Well," She smiled as she straddled him, "Sometimes the best way to get over someone." She pressed her breast up to his lips, "Is to get under someone."

* * *

**Bet you didn't see that coming? Muhahahahaha! Will he? Won't he? Muhahahahaha... The silent ones are always hussies LOL**

* * *

**Untitled**

**LEMON ALERT: This chapter rated M. for full-blown sexual content. Don't like it? Skip to the next line break. XD**

Jake smiled softly. He had a habit of attracting sexy women with brains these days. He unfortunately never knew what to do about them. He kissed her softly, his hunger for her growing. This relationship wasn't complicated compared to his relationship with Sherry. Sheva and Jake were not running for their lives. They shared a few battles and survived a car accident in the process. They were just two strangers, a man and a woman, with the same ex-profession and a new outlook on their lives, hell-bent on taking out the shit their parents caused. The only complication?

Jake pushed Sheva a way for a moment, panting between their kisses. "I don't know if I should hate you or have you... You killed my father." Sheva just watched as Jake went through a range of emotions. He shook his head at her, "He killed your parents. You have every right to hate me and yet..." She put a finger to his lips, shushing him.  
"I admire you, Jake. You have nothing to do with my parents. The fact that Wesker is your father is unfortunate." She shook her head, "If you harbor hate in your heart for me, I understand." She traced a finger up his chest to his neck, then traced it along his scar. "You can stop at any time you want." She looked deeply into his eyes, "I have no hatred that you are his son." Jake nodded. She was right in a way. Jake hadn't killed her parents. She did kill his father though. He felt conflicted, yet he couldn't keep his hands off of her. He shook his head after another long, passionate kiss.

"This has gotta be the desert heat or the accident. I'm not right in the head." She learned back, lifting her leg to get off of him. Jake grabbed her by the hips and pulled her back down on to his stomach. "I didn't say you had to go anywhere." He smiled up at the blushing beauty, then slid his hands down her thighs to his pants. He was curious, was she right that getting under someone was a way to get over someone? She guided his hands, letting him explore freely as he suckled her chocolate skin. Sheva whimpered at his lustful but soft touch. She reached her hand back to stroke him. Jake closed his eyes and kissed her deeply, moaning with pleasure. If he knew it was this easy to get laid he would have joined the BSAA a long time ago. He shook his head as she went to straddle him.

"No offense, girl. This is Africa. No glove, sure as hell no love." Sheva checked around in her utility clips, fixing that problem easily.  
"I give these out to people all the time. Africa is definately not AIDS friendly." Jake halted her after she slipped the condom onto him.  
"I'm not your first am I?" Sheva shook her head no.  
"I'm not that experienced but we can give it a go." She leaned in and kissed him deeply as he guided himself into her. He was overwhelmed with pleasure as her soft lips and tongue played with his. He could barely hold himself back as Sheva took what she wanted from him. He cupped her ass, pushing his back into the sand as she rode his hips. He rolled her over into the sand on top of his robe, pulling her legs up around his hips. He kissed her as he deepened his penetration. He felt her climax, wanting to hold back his own. He rode her threw it, wondering how he held back. He smirked. The C-Virus must have given him more endurance than he expected. He finally let himself go and lay beside her, taking in her panting, glistening body in the heat. They smiled softly at each other. He shook his head at himself as he thought of Sherry. He had hoped to have given himself to her, that she'd be the first woman he would have had in a long time. It just couldn't be. "No regrets." He whispered to her.

Jake Muller couldn't nap one bit. He was exhausted from the climb up and the lovemaking that came with it. He started to wonder when he had developed a conscience. He didn't regret taking that Sheva took him then and there on the edge of the cliff, adrenaline still pumping through him at the thought of what he did. He did regret how he would have to react to Sherry when they crossed paths again. Sheva may have been fit for a romp in the sand but not for a full blown battle vs. the "rhoided out freaks" that had the C-Virus. He snuggled Sheva close as she napped. They were fully clothed in case more J'avo showed up.

Sheva lay with her head in Jake's lap. He slumped against the wall of the gorge, his 909 ready in hand. She stirred in time as his patience was wearing thin. He wanted to get going and was a little tired of having to be held back by the standard recovery time of a non-virus carrying human. He tied Sheva to him once more as they gathered their things for the rest of their climb. The edge of the gorge and the road that would eventually lead them to Cairo was just above them, another 50 feet or so. He slipped on his gloves, gritting his teeth as he began to climb again, Sheva's arms around his waist once more. They felt reassuring around him as she kicked off the wall in time with him, helping to boost them both up. He could get used to her touch. Maybe he did want more than a battlefield buddy with her. He shook his head. Now was not the time to even think of these things.

Finally, they came to the top of the ledge. Jake watched for any J'avo or passing vehicles. The road was clear both ways. He scampered up, then reached his hand down to Sheva, pulling her and their gear up to the road. They both sighed in relief. Half the journey was over. Now they just needed to find a car. Jake scouted ahead as Sheva stayed behind with their stuff. She sat with her back to the wall, rifle drawn. Jake rolled the Hummer back and stepped out. He scooped her up and placed her into the passenger seat this time. He wouldn't let her drive with that ankle. They still didn't know how bad it was. he promised not to hit the air bags this time.

Jake kept his hands on the wheel, only letting his eyes wander off the road to check his mirrors. Sheva blushed as she watched his serious expression. Jake was still fighting with himself as they drove to Baharia. She wondered what all that conflict was behind those angry blue eyes. Had she caused it? Jake turned his head instinctively, viewing her from one of the mirrors. "It's not you." He sighed, "No regrets." He was still thinking of Sherry though. Not a day went by when he didn't think of her, of how badly he wanted to escape that prison in China and save his super girl. He knew he helped her to learn she deserved to be love, he just never thought he was worthy enough for her. His hands were far too stained with the blood of others for an innocent woman like Sherry. He tried to pull himself away from thinking of her, to plan out the mission ahead. He just couldn't. He looked over at Sheva again. She was so beautiful and brilliant. She was a battle hardened orphan like himself.

Sheva and Jake lived a similar life, more so when compared to Sherry. They were both poor, orphaned, had to fend for themselves. Sherry never knew and would never know what that was like. Maybe that's why Jake felt unworthy of her after all. Who would love a street rat like Jake Muller but another street rat? Yet Sheva was so elegant, graceful, full of life. He was just a brooding beast that found something to direct his rage at. Was he even worthy of any woman on the planet? He frowned. If even his father had found a woman like his mother. He shook his head. His mother deserved way better than that, as did his two love interests. Jake didn't know why he even bothered with either woman right now. There was always something with women, wasn't there. That's why he was single for so long.

Dark settled in and not a word was spoken. Sheva wondered if she was wrong to have seduced him. In one way, it was a peace bond between them. It settled some of the complications in their mission. On the other hand, it was Agent Birkin Jake really loved. She wouldn't let that bother her, even if Jake did run into Sherry's arms. She just wondered if it would affect anything else. She knew she'd have to give up her mission once Sherry was on the scene. She was not fit for battle. Sheva did develop feeling for Jake though. She was wondering if he felt the same. She said she didn't want a relationship but that was a lie. She felt like she had always known Jake. He had all of his father's good looks but none of his wicked traits.

Wesker was precise, wicked, studious, he was always three feet ahead. Jake seemed to be a free spirit, living in the moment. She admired him deeply, seeing past his intimidating personality and fierce appearance. She wondered if maybe Birkin had softened him up when they had met. Maybe she was the reason they got to be intimate. She frowned to herself. If anything came of this, she'd have Birkin to thank for it.

They finally reached Baharia. jake reminded her that they couldn't stay long. It was just a stop over to rest up and restock their water and gas. It they wanted to meet Birkin in time, they 'd have to hit Cairo by tomorrow evening. Before meeting her, they need to investigate if Jake's informant was correct.

* * *

**The Trouble with Women**

Jake awoke in a cold sweat. He found himself staring at the bare mud walls in the dilapidated motel. The only thing worse than loving a woman you had but couldn't hold, was holding one you could have but didn't love. His limbs were entwined with the later as he awoke between her thighs for the second time tonight. Okay, there was one thing worse. He was meeting the former tomorrow evening. He had gotten himself in to a situation with both types of women. He rubbed his temples, an exasperated moan leaving his lips.

Jake tried not to disturb his lover as he covered her with a sheet. The truth was, he really enjoyed Sheva's company. There was a sparkle in her eye everywhere they went. Jake enjoyed the "day-off" feeling of wandering the marketplace, listening to conversations. Sheva's presence wasn't just warm and comforting, it was damn well distracting. He paced in front of the small window, peering out towards the horizon. He saw a plane in the distance. American. Inbound for Cairo. His blood rushed with excitement. It could be Sherry's plane. Jake smiled warmly with anticipation before turning his eyes once more to the woman he had.

He thought back to the morning he had with Sheva. He understood that FOS could not get through to Egypt now. The country was in political unrest and a foreign agency would not be welcomed overhead at this time. Luckily Sheva was fine, save a few cracked ribs, a broken wrist, fractured hand, the list ending with a sprained ankle. He knew she wouldn't back out of this mission. His smile turned to a frown. He had to face his feelings sooner or later.

He sighed again, leaning his arm above the window on the cool mud wall. He laid his head on the windowsill. The curtain touched his forehead lightly, the wind bristling his short, red hair. He would have to make his decision at some point. Right now, he had to concentrate on the mission ahead. Sherry would be his new partner, at least for the mission. Maybe once they were alone... He shook his head. Sheva had balls, she would be fighting right along side them. This was her mission first. The was no way she'd listen to the Jarhead's orders and pull out of this.

Jake grabbed his clothes and headed outside. He shot one last look at his lover and noticed she had watched him. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight at him, filled with concern. Jake sighed. "Sheva..." He shook his head, "I..." She hushed him. Jake scoffed, turning his gaze away from her.  
"Jake, you are not obligated to say or do anything." She smiled, putting her hands out. "We... we're nothing but battlefield bliss." She smiled softly at him, stroking her fingers down his back. Her touch just made him more nervous.  
"Sheva, I... I don't know what I'm doing..." Where they really nothing? Or was his mind playing tricks on him. He shook his head, stopping her hand with his own. "I need some air." He wandered out alone into the chilly night.

Jake sat on a roof top, admiring the night sky. He could see Cairo on the horizon. They weren't supposed to stop tonight but Sheva needed a doctor. He was debating if to leave her behind to face his destiny alone. He scoffed, disgusted with himself. He wasn't the type to fuck and chuck. Sheva did say they were nothing but was she just saying what he wanted to hear? The passion she had for him, the look in her eyes. Did she just pity him for being the forgotten bastard son of the menace she ended nearly seven years back. She would have been around Jake's age then. He found himself tangled in a web of older women now.

There was one thing Jake was proud of. He refused to take Sherry's innocence from her. He was not his father. He may have given into his desires this time but it was not the same. What he did with Sheva felt right, if it wasn't for the fact that he should have hated her. He wondered if he would have been so soft with Redfield if had been his redheaded sister, Claire. Maybe he wouldn't have been staring down a barrel, rather he'd maybe be sliding a bra strap off at this point. He cocked his head, sighing to himself. "Jake Muller, ladies man..." He scoffed, shaking his head. "Maybe I am my father."

Jake looked up at the twinkling stars above him. How would he ever explain this to Sherry? A noise started him from behind. Sheva's boots. She wasn't as light as Sherry and was a bit taller. Only Sherry was able to sneak up on Jake. He sighed and straightened himself out, leaning on the raised ledge of the roof. "What?" He asked rather coldly. Even he thought he was being kind of cold.  
"Jake... You aren't your father." Sheva started. He cut her off.  
"Sheva... How do you know that." He looked at her with cold eyes. "Oh.. We both know that answer..." He returned to gazing at the night's sky. Sheva crossed her arms over her chest.  
"Now that's uncalled for." She shook her head, annoyed. She refused to look at him. Jake was right however, he threw the right to complain out the window when he chose to accept her body. "You may be young but I'm sure you know better than that."  
"Maybe I don't," He cocked his head, "...Maybe my father didn't teach me differently." He chuckled to himself. Sheva looked at him coldly. She wasn't going to play this game.  
"Mr. Muller, if you can't pull yourself together," she snatched the keys out of his pocket, "I'll continue this mission on my own." She stormed off, limping along as she tried to keep the weight off of her ankle. Jake shook his head and threw his hands in the air.  
"Damnit, Chevy."  
"It's Sheva." She paused, looking over his shoulder. "...and I have my own contacts in Cairo through the BSAA. This mission will be accomplished, with or without your help." This was the first time that Sheva, the loyal partner of Chris Redfield, had ever turned her back on a partner. She was through playing with games. She was about to hop down off the rooftop when Jake grabbed her by the arm. She shook him off and threw her leg over the side.  
"At least let me help you down." Sheva slapped him across the face.  
"Oh, trust me, Mr. Muller, you've helped me down enough." She leaped down, landing on one knee as she protected her ankle, then stormed off to her room.

Jake found his things thrown in the Hummer when finally found his way down. The key was on the windowsill. He called out for her. "Sheva..." He growled, "Goddamnit... Open the goddamn," She opened the door, as cross as she was before. "...door."  
"Yes, I suppose he has." She shook her head, annoyed. He didn't know the little lady had a temper. Boy, did he know how to pick em. She handed him the key to the Hummer. Her features softened, "Jake... Maybe I took advantage. I'm sorry, but please, do not involve me with your daddy issues. I told you, it was not personal. I saw my partner through to the end," She shook her head, "even if it meant I did achieve the revenge I sought as a youth. Like I said, there was no satisfaction." He looked away from her, staring at the ground, then put his hand on the door. Sheva pushed it closed, his foot blocking it. "Jake..." She opened it again, "I thought we walked the same path, from the same kind of past but... This path you are on," She shook her head, "I see little hope for you if you can't get past this hurdle." she shook her head once more, "I only knew your father as an enemy, Jake. You, I know as a friend. Please... Get your act together." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "If not for our sake? For hers." She closed the door on him, this time for good. "I know I'm not your heart's desire. Go find your destiny."

Sheva awoke. The sun was bright on her face. She stretched, feeling as sore as ever. She got took a shower, got dressed and geared up. She opened the door, ready to sign out of the hotel. A startled Jake Muller fell backwards into the doorway. Sheva giggled as he began to rub his head with one hand and his eyes with the other. "Did you sleep against the door last night?" Jake opened his eyes, blinking against the sunlight.  
"Um... Maybe? We're still battle buddies, right?" Sheva shrugged, reaching her hand out to pull him up.  
"I'm ready if you are. Just remember," Sheva smiled softly, "All good things must come to an end." Sheva marched off to the Hummer, hobbling along on her ankle. Jake rubbed his chin. He got the point.

He breathed out a barely audible sigh to himself."Guess I blew the hot sex..." Sheva caught his soft, rumbling voice.  
"Yeah, guess you did." She smirked as she got into the passenger seat of the vehicle. Jake's face flushed red. He shook his head and joined her in the Hummer.

Going to leave you guys in suspense for a night as Sherry is returning in the next chapter and I need to plot out the action scenes. :) Yeah, some excuse eh :)

* * *

**"This is How I Roll... C'mon, Ladies, It's Time to Go." Sexy and I Know It, LMFAO**

Jake added one more awkward silence to his checklist as they drove to Cairo. He barely watched Sheva through the mirrors of the vehicle. She was staring outside, watching for any J'avo. She seemed to not even care about their earlier encounters. She rubbed her ankle. It was sore but she'd survive. It was already starting to heal. Jake cleared his throat, breaking the silence as he watched her from the side and rear view mirror. "So... How's that ankle?" She smiled softly.  
"I'll live." She inspected her handgun, cleaning it thoroughly out of boredom more than necessity. "Besides," She smirked, "...did you think I'd let you two have all the fun?" She cocked the gun, then turned on the safety, setting it into her holster. Jake smirked. Today was going about to get interesting.

They were on their way to meet Special Agent Sherry Birkin. She was Jake's friend and complicated love interest. He wondered if his infatuation with her was nothing more than wanting to see her alive after being imprisoned for six months in China. He spent the entire six months thinking of her. The last Jake had seen of Sherry before that, Ustanak had sent her hurtling into the air. He didn't know if she was dead or alive until the reunited during Jake's escape.

He smiled softly, forgetting about the other woman he was with the night before. He shook his head as he drifted back to reality. "Jake..." Sheva broke their awkward silence this time. "When you awoke last night..." She stared out the window solemnly as her pretty accent made her words sound like a lullaby more than a confession. "You were calling her name... all night in your sleep you called for her." She nodded, "We can forget all that happened between us. Like I said," She looked into those deep blue eyes with affection for the last time, "We're just battle buddies. The bed buddy thing ends here." She inspected her gun again, taking her mind off of her true feelings. "Promise me one thing." Jake turned to her, listening. "If you two feel the same way about each other, don't regret it. You should embrace such desires." She smiled softly, staring at the road ahead. "I wish I had someone like that in my life. I mean, I do have someone but he's more like an uncle."

They arrived at the rendezvous. Jake waited for Sheva to return with more ammunition and for Sherry to show up. The arrived at the same time, much to his dismay. He wanted some privacy but it seemed he would never find the proper occasion anyways. "Jake!" Sherry ran up to him and threw her arms around his waist, blushing from head to toe. She was as pretty as ever. Her hair was still in the same short bob she always had it in. Sherry was the type to keep things simple. She never wanted being a girl to get in the way of her job. Jake hesitated before embracing her as Sherry buried her face in his chest. Sherry could sense something was wrong but pushed it out of her thoughts. After their last goodbye, she knew things would be awkward between them.

She inhaled his scent deeply, trying not to let him notice. He ruffled her hair with his hand, smiling softly down into her blue-grey eyes. His height towered over her. She was shorter than Sheva, looking like a little girl in Jake's hands. "You have no idea how much I missed you." Sherry blushed, covering her mouth with both hands as if she was trying to force the words back in. She stared down at her fingers on either side of her nose as she shook her head, then balled her hands at her sides. "I... I'm sorry, Jake." Her eyes darted back up to his chiseled face and deep, blue eyes. "How unprofessional of me." he smiled warmly at her, his stoic face melting into the sweetness she remembered.  
"That's my super girl, always the regal queen of midgets." He smacked him in the arm with a wide right swing.  
"Mr. Muller!" She put her hands on her hips, swaying one out before the other, "We prefer 'little people'."

Jake shook his head with a smirk. It seemed that all hope was not lost for their friendship after all. Sherry was still the same old Sherry, maybe just a little more outgoing than he remembered. He was about to start speaking when Sherry interrupted for once. "So, what are you doing out here, fighting B.O.W.s for charity!? That's not the Jake Muller I remember." Sherry crossed her arms over he breasts, trying to look snobby, failing miserably with that baby face of hers. Jake shook his head, throwing his arms to the side.  
"Oh, super girl. What did you expect?" He struck his best "Sexy and I Know It, Wiggle, Wiggle Yeah" pose and started to dance, "Magic Merc?" Sherry doubled over in laughter, pointing at Jake. She clapped her hands excitedly, "Do it again!"

She would have hit the floor if she didn't see Sheva come around the corner. Sherry coughed, clearing her throat and tried to stand up straight, clasping her hands behind her. She extended her hand to the dark stranger. "Are you Sheva?" She smiled softly, cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she tried to stifle her earlier laughter. Sheva joined in with a chuckle. She had barely caught the show. She shook Sherry's hand lightly.  
"Charmed, Agent Birkin." Sheva could not help but size Sherry up, watching Jake from the corner of her eye. Jake looked away, pacing the building's entrance. Sherry didn't seem to notice as she still beamed innocently.

The three of them looked out of place in front of the American Embassy. Not many foreigners were hanging around for tourism in Egypt right now. With the crisis building over the past two years and finally escalating into violence, foreigners were being advised not to leave resort areas and to avoid Cairo. Sheva passed Jake the army duffel bag full of weapons, ammunition, bulletproof vests. Sheva was going through their list of supplies as they put on their vests, holsters and side packs. The BSSA had supplied weapons. Sherry passed out their clearance badges and shared her intelligence information. The two groups had worked together before when the time called for it but each had their own priorities. The BSSA would assist the Egyptian government in clearing the B.O.W. threat in their country, which was the target, Manuela Hidalgo. It was the DSO's job to secure her in the United States again under their protection, for her safety and the safety of any country she fell into the hands of.

The plan was to storm a secret labyrinth that was the base of the current terrorist organization that Sheva was after. "Vox Populi, Vox Dei." Sherry continued, "'The voice of the people, is the voice of God.' That's who has Manuela." She looked from Sheva to Jake. "We need to find these people and take them out. We don't know why they have Manuela but that doesn't quite matter." She shook her head, "Manuela's blood is highly flammable. Immediate combustion happens on exposure to the oxygen and nitrogen in our atmosphere. They are probably keeping her in a 100% oxygen containment chamber to avoid her combustion. That means once we get to her, we won't be able to use our weapons."

Sherry and Sheva both looked at Jake. He scoffed and looked away before returning their gaze. "Oh, so it's all up to me now?" He sighed, "Great... You know how much I love playing hero, Sherry." She raised her gaze to him softly, hesitation and empathy in her voice. "I know, Jake... If I could avoid this, I would." She shook her head, "Once again the world needs you, Jake Muller." He smiled, throwing his arms out before he marched off to their destination.  
"At least this time, it's for me, not just my blood." He waved his hand behind his shoulder in annoyance, "I just hope it's for more than $50 this time... A man's gotta eat."

* * *

**"But If You Close Your Eyes, Does It Almost Feel Like Nothing Changed At All" Pompeii, Bastille**

"Wait!" Sherry called out as she ran to catch up with Jake's long legs. He had already shoved the bag of supplies in the back seat of the hummer and climbed into the driver's side. Sherry paused as she heard him start the engine. She opened the driver door, a look of exasperation on her face as her hand slapped against her thigh. Jake pressed the button for the window, staring her down with his shades on as she shook her head. "Jake!" He rolled his eyes behind his shades. Here came a lecture. Sherry threw her hand into the air, "You can't just run around like a maniac." She opened the driver door and pushed him over, rolling her eyes as she spoke more calmly. "I'll drive. I'm the one with the directions." She cocked her head with a sigh, her lips pouting cutely.  
"Yeah?" Jake shot back, "...and I'm just the one with a short fuse." Jake looked at her with hesitation. She hadn't reacted to his attitude. He scoffed, slamming his palm on the dashboard and reluctantly moved to the passenger seat.

Sheva waited behind the vehicle, pacing. She chose to give them some space as she reported to Chris on her cellphone. "Jake." Sherry put her hands on the wheel and turned off the ignition. She shook her head, "Egypt isn't too friendly with media or foreign military personnel right now." Jake put his foot put on the dashboard, trying to adjust his long legs to cross them at the ankles. He pug his hands behind his head with a sigh, stretching out uncomfortably. It may be a Hummer but he was damn tall. Sherry's eyes wandered against her will, taking in his striking features.

"Guess I'm lucky I'm not an American." He growled, rolling his eyes to the passenger window. Sherry looked at him from the corner of her eye.  
"You're still a foreigner here." She sighed, "Listen. This is Egypt." Jake rolled his eyes, throwing his hand in the air.  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" He kicked his foot against the door and stared out his window. Sherry continued with a soft smile, ignoring his usual temper-tantrums. She spoke slowly and concise. "Jake, they may think we're trying to steal artifacts or something. that's a huge crime here. We have got to be careful."

Jake rolled his eyes again. He growled at her with even more rage than before. "Does every sentence have to start with my name and end with what you think I should be doing?" He scoffed again, pouting at the window. Sherry had just about enough of Jake Muller for a lifetime in the past three minutes.  
"Yes, it does... If you feel the need to keep acting like a child, then I have to speak to you like one." Now she was the one rolling her eyes, crossing her arms and pouting. "...At least until you get what I'm saying through your thick head." She looked out the window, pausing before she finished, "...It's important information, not a grade school lecture, damn it." Jake found it cute that she was actually swearing. His bad attitude must have struck a nerve in her.  
Jake scoffed again. "Oh please.. Relax, super girl." He uncrossed his arms and thew his hand in the air again, "I know what I'm doing!" Both stared out the window, checking the mirrors for Sheva. Sherry sighed and shook her head.  
"Again with the endless awkward silences..."

Sherry finally looked over in Jake's direction. Their eyes connected as they gave each other a long, hard look. Sherry was always the first to soften her edge in submission, usually following up with a blow to his ego. She was always the calm in the eye of the storm but it appeared she almost enjoyed getting to slap him in the face with reality sometimes. Sherry was his conscience and voice of reason, delivering the moral kick in the ass he needed so very often. Jake realized her personality reminded him of his mother a little bit. She looked so soft and frail on the outside, with her petite frame and youthful appearance, the literal embodiment of an angel on his shoulder. Yet she was strong-willed, determined and near unstoppable in personality. Sherry always brought out his sense of calm, often against his will.

Jake sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, taking his feet off the dash. She wasn't going to give this time it seemed, not even for that verbal ass kicking. "Buckle up." Sherry demanded, checking in the rear view mirror for Sheva. Jake seemed to do the same. He began to fiddle with his lighter, seeming to grow impatient. He put his lighter away with a sigh, knowing how much that action irritated Sherry. He just didn't have the heart to piss her off any more. He turned to face her, giving in to what his heart really wanted. He touched her fingers lightly with hesitation. Sherry was busy staring out the window, not seeming to care that he was there. He stroked her fingers lightly. Rejected. She tugged her hand away to her lap in annoyance. Sherry rolled her eyes at the rear-view mirror. "God, Sheva is taking forever... This is not what I meant by looking inconspicuous." She grumbled as she tapped her fingers on her sleeves, arms crossed in annoyance.

"Sherry?" Jake spoke softly. It made her jump lightly. She sighed in annoyance before looking over slowly, trying not to fall for his gaze. There was still too much unfinished business between them. She fell for his trap as she raised her gaze meet his. His blue eyes drilled a hole through her heart as he gazed into hers. Her world always seemed to stand so still with once glance from Jake Muller. He quickly slid one hand around the small of her back, the other through her silky blonde bob, and tugged her right into his lap. They moaned lightly in each other's arms for a moment before Sherry came to her senses and pushed him away. She shook her head violently, her eyes alight with anger.

"What!? Jake!" She gasped in rage. She looked up at him, breathless as always. She scrambled off of him and back to the driver seat. "No... How... How dare you?" She put her finger up to lecture him but couldn't find the words. Sherry made a stop gesture with her hand, her fingers shaking as her world crumbled. "No... Just, no." She threw her hands in the air, "What kind of girl do you take me for? I'm not a toy you can shelve..." Jake hesitated as the anger in her eyes both frightened and excited him. He knew she still loved him. He had made a mistake before, if only he could say how he really felt. Instead he did the stupidest thing you could do to an angry woman. He grabbed her by the back of the head with one hand, the other on her cheek. He kissed her violently one more time. Sherry pushed him again, slamming him against the door this time. She stared at him for a brief second, a look of fear and hurt in her eyes. She slapped him right across the face and tucked herself up against her own door. Jake paused for a moment, closing his eyes and touching the scar on his face where she struck him. He shook his head with a soft smirk.  
"I bet i deserve that." He smiled softly, his eyes rising to meet her angry, flushed face. He seemed to have brushed the incident off. "Just checkin if I still got it, super girl." He lied, trying to hide his disappointment. "It never plays out like it does in the movies, does it?"

Just then, Sheva opened the back door and hopped in. Jake flushed at the sight of Sheva. He changed his gaze to the road ahead. Sheva's eyes went from Sherry to Jake, noticing the red mark on Jake's cheek and Sherry's exasperated face. Sherry's gaze went between Jake and Sheva, as the vehicle grew awkwardly silent. Jake crossed his arms, looking like a damn fool. Sheva shook her head at Sherry, pulling out an apple. "I'm not even going to ask."

Jake pulled the apple from her hand and bit into it greedily. "Ready?" He growled, staring at the ignition, then at Sherry, then back at Sheva. He went back to staring out the windows when no one answered. Sheva gulped.  
"Yeah, I believe so." Sheva finally answered. Sherry shook her head as if to snap herself back into reality. She started the vehicle.  
"Okay, then..." Sherry straightened herself in the seat and checked her mirrors one last time, catching Sheva's gaze in the mirror. "...I won't ask either." They drove silently off to their undisclosed location in awkward silence.


	7. Operation orphan pt 3 of 3

**"Do I Stand In Your Way, or am I the Best Thing You've had? I'm Trapped by Your Love and Chained to Your Side... " Love is a Battlefield, Pat Benatar**

Jake couldn't take any more of the awkward silence. He turned on the radio to the English speaking stations he knew. He began mocking each song as he went through them, finding nothing of interest. "(New York, New York) Start spreading the news... We're leaving today... I'm up to here with all your shit! For, fuck's sake..." Click, "(It's a small world after all) You're an asshole after all... I'm an asshole after all... He's an asshole after all! We're all ass... Holes!" He turned it off, "Why do they always have to play this bullshit..." He crossed his arms and kicked the door again, scoffing as he stared at the window. He continued to grumble to himself a few hours later. "Sand... sand... sand... Palm tree... More sand... Palm tree..."

Sheva and Sherry both yelled at the same time, "Will you shut up, Jake!?" Jake stared at them both, scoffed and continued to randomly call out things he saw.  
"Palm tree." That was the last straw. Sherry knew Jake could be annoying but this took the cake. She growled and gripped the wheel hard.  
"Jake Muller, if this fucking Hummer was smaller, I'd lean over and smack the smart-ass out of you!"  
"Yeah, mighty mouse?" He threw his hands out to the side, a smirk curling his lips as he cocked his head, "Hey, how do you even see over the dash board!" Sheva smacked him in the back of the head for Sherry.  
"Thank you, Sheva." Sherry sing-songed with a sigh. Sheva shook her head. Now she was starting to lose it. Sherry continued to rip Jake a new asshole. "How about I just shove my foot down your throat and kick your ass!" He made a fist at her and flicked his hand under his chin. He laughed at Sherry, shaking his head.  
"Your legs aren't long enough to reach me."

"Will you two please stop!" Sheva yelled at them like children as she stared in disbelief. "Has the heat gone to your head?" Neither answered. "Please," Sheva relaxed back into her seat, "I'll pay for the honeymoon, just get married after this and get it out of your system in marriage counselling!" Jake shook his head, his hand on his forehead like he had a headache. He tried stretching out again in his seat, squirming uncomfortably.  
"Did you have to take the leather interior?" He looked up at the ceiling, shaking his head. "My God..." He groaned, "Why did you put me in this vehicle with these women!?" Sherry sighed and stared at the road ahead, shrugging her shoulders.  
"We're fine, Jake," She sing-songed at him, pushing her chin out in aggravation, "It's not us. It's you." She stopped the car. Jake looked at her. Did Sherry know? She couldn't have. Oh shit... Sherry shook her head, "I'm sure it's you in more ways than one."  
"Sherry... I..." She stopped the vehicle abruptly, making Jake snap out of the conversation.

"We're here." Sherry threw the door open. Jake threw his open next, climbing out to stretch his long limbs. "It's about fucking time!" He shook his head at Sherry with his arms out, walking backwards towards their destination.  
"Seriously, Sherry... You drive like a grandma!" Sherry threw a rock at him. Jake dodged, scoffing. He turned away from Sherry, brushing sand off of his shirt, then continued to march off, ignoring Sherry. Sheva wanted to explode. This was like a really bad joke. She started with what was rolling in her head.  
"So a BSAA Agent, a DSO agent and a mercenary are in the desert." Jake shook his head, throwing his hand in the air.  
"Ah... Shaddap, already!" He threw his arms out, still shaking his head. "Women!"

Sherry sighed at the last response and pointed to the approaching J'avo in the distance."Well, there goes our 'sneaking in undetected' technique."  
Jake marched back to the vehicle and threw them both extra weapons. "Jesus Christ, this is just fucking great..." He shook his head as he started firing. The three of them stood in a circle as the J'avo closed in on all sides. Sheva had her riffle out, taking out long range targets. Jake used his 909. Sherry had a shotgun. They opened the duffel bag and shared out the remaining ammunition and weapons. This wasn't anything they couldn't handle as a group, even with Sheva's injuries. Sherry sighed as she reloaded her weapon.  
"At least this disrupts the awkward silences." Sheva passed Sherry some more shells, then reloaded her rifle.  
"Yeah, beats the arguing, too." She smiled back at Sherry. Jake just made an angry face as he continued to take his rage out on the J'avo. He got snatched up by a bird J'avo for a moment before Sherry shot it down.  
"Ooh, careful baby, I might miss..." Sherry gave Jake a wink. He smirked at her with a soft grin, cocking his head, then went back to what he was doing. He sighed.  
"It's fucking tag team Jake day? Not the way I pictured being with you two..."

They circled in the sand, an army of three, minding Sheva's injuries. "Damnit..." Sheva complained, "The kickback is getting to my wrist." Sherry put her shotgun on her back and took Shiva's riffle, relieving her wrist and shoulder. Shiva took out a handgun. "Thanks partner, much better." They continued to help each other out as the three of them worked out a strategy for the ongoing assault. Sheva reloaded weapons as Jake and Sherry took out targets. Sherry shot whatever was further away, Jake handled anything that got too close, either with his gun or fists.

They finally made their way to the entrance, or where Sherry's GPS said it should be. They stumbled around over it, brushing their hands with the sand. Sherry stared at Jake's knees, realizing he was sinking into the white sands. "Jake!" She threw a rope out to him.  
"Aw fucking bullshit... Don't tell me... Scorpion?" Jake looked down, then groaned. "Quick sand? Really?" He cocked his head, shaking it. "Didn't see that one coming... I mean, maybe a cobra..." He rambled as he stared Sherry down. She fiddled with her GPS, then slipped it into her pocket. "I bet it didn't tell you to take three steps to the right..." Sheva grabbed on, helping Sherry pull.  
"Jake..." She groaned, "Don't pull, just hang on... You're too strong." She was slipping forward on the edge of the sinkhole. Jake tied the rope around his waist.  
"Better?" Sherry nodded and continued to pull along with Sheva. Jake looked down, "Guys... Feels like something's shaking under my feet..." The ground gave way, opening up, the sand swallowing Jake up. Sherry and Sheva fell into the hole with him.

After a few long minutes, the three surfaced, limbs flailing as they climbed out of the sand. Jake groaned as he coughed out sand. "I don't do this Indiana Jones bullshit... Am I wearing a fucking hat?" Sheva smiled softly, chuckling at his sense of humor. Sherry dusted herself off, panting. She smiled softly, giggling between her pants.  
"I could just crack you with a whip if you really want me to?" Sheva joined in the laughter as the two of them helped pull Jake out. "Not a swimmer, are you, Jake?"  
"Does snow count?" He smiled at Sherry warmly. She shook her head at him, remembering his naked ass in the water after they escaped China.  
"If we find a way out of here, I'll teach you... To stop being a smart ass." She used her phone to light the way in front of them. The sunlight didn't travel far down here. "Jake, still have your lighter?" He nodded at her. She handed him a torch that she found on the ground. "I don't really do wandering around in dark, creepy places... Do I look like I'm Laura Croft?" Jake smirked, looking Sherry up and down. He licked his lips then shook his head.  
"Nice ass but Laura Croft has some cup sizes on you..." Sherry looked shocked and disgusted. She gave him a hard shove forward.  
"That was sarcasm, asshole. You lead."  
"You did ask..."

Jake, Sherry and Sheva continued along. Sheva told them that Chris was supposed to rendezvous with them at some point. He would receive their coordinates from the DSO and help evacuate the hostage. They found another torch. Sheva carried this one. She started to wonder if Chris would ever find them down here. Jake was looking around like he was expecting a trap to spring or a boulder to come rolling after them. Sherry was huddled behind his back. After her experiences as a child, she hated the dark with a passion. She knew something was always lurking for her somewhere. She could still hear the noises in her head from Raccoon City, her father calling her name.

Sherry helped Sheva limp along, their hands around each other's shoulders. Sheva's ankle was stressed during the fall. They had to splint her ankle again as the bandages came loose. The three took a break with Sheva pausing on an indent on the wall. The pain was becoming unbearable. "Sherry, Jake." Sheva shook her head, "Maybe you two should go along without me. I'll try to find the exit." She smiled warmly at them. Jake and Sherry looked at each other, then both took one of her arms over their shoulders. "No, no... I'm serious." Sheva smiled, "It's the least I can do. I'm an extra now anyways." She rubbed her wrist, accepting that she was now just a burden. With her good arm around Sherry's shoulder, she couldn't even shoot a target if she needed to.

She smiled at Sherry, "Besides..." She looked up with her green-brown eyes dancing before the torches' light. "It's a DSO mission now... Once the target is out of the country, my hands are clean." She pushed them away when they tried to pick her up again. "No, no. Go on." Sherry sighed. She couldn't force Sheva to go on. She paused for a moment, then took the riffle off her back. She handed it to Sheva with all the clips she had.  
"You may need this." She gave Sheva a hug. "Good luck, Sheva." Jake had his hands in his pockets. He frowned softly, trying to hide his disappointed.  
He sighed sadly, "Later, 'partner'." They gave each other a hard handshake, mutually parting their ways.  
"Go on, now." Sheva demanded, "Don't look back. We'll keep in touch on the short-wave."

Jake and Sherry continued on. An hour had passed and they hadn't come across anything but more J'avo. They wandered around in the dark maze, expecting trouble. Nothing. "I don't like this." Jake shook his head. The flames accentuated his long features, the blue of his eyes burning through the darkness like a cat's eyes. Sherry smiled softly. She didn't like this either. She squeezed his hand, a reminder that she wasn't alone. She remembered being a kid in Raccoon City, hiding in the dark all alone, until Claire and Leon came along. She could still hear "the song of the dead" in her ears, the moaning and screams in the night. She shivered as she held onto Jake tightly. He noticed and paused, stroking her fingers lightly. "Sherry." Was it a question? Or a statement? She looked up at him, his eyes shining ever brighter. She shook her head.  
"I'm fine, Jake." He held her hands against his waist.  
"No, it's not that..." He smiled softly, "You called me 'Whiskers' when I sent you that help message." Sherry chuckled.  
"You look like a red tabby cat in the night, with your red hair and blue eyes shining in the dark. It's also a pun on your father's last name." She shook her head, breathing his scent in. It was soothing her fears.

"Sherry..." He started again, "I need to tell you something." He paused, turning to look her in the eyes. "I..." Sherry shook her head. She was not a stupid girl.  
"Jake..." She let go of him and crossed her arms, turning away. "Don't get sentimental on me..." She frowned, "Please, spare me the embarrassment of knowing... We aren't a couple. You can't expect me to wait around for you to change your mind." She shook her head, "I'm not a toy you can put away on the shelf and play with me as you want." He gave her a hug, holding her against her will as she resisted.  
"Sherry... Sheva and I..." Her eyes grew wide with realization. She had wondered what the awkwardness was about. He confirmed her suspicions. She fought the tears that flowed from her eyes.  
"I know, Jake..." She pushed him back, "Why, why are you telling me this now?" She began to pant as the world spun around her. "You just can't let sleeping dogs lie, can you." She stumbled backwards into the dark, balling her fists. "Goddamn it, Jake... This isn't the movies. You just have to make this mission harder, don't you." He hung his head in shame. The pain stabbed him in the heart. He went to say something again but she interrupted, shaking her head. "Look, just stop it Jake, stop it. We have a job to do and I am not going to let you risk this girl's life." She quoted him from when he dealt with Chris. "There is more at stake here, than you and me."  
"If she's even still alive." He interjected. Sherry frowned, the torch revealing her pout. "I..."  
"Enough already, Jake! Like I said, I didn't expect you to come crawling back after..."

Sherry thought back to that night. Jake and Sherry had spent the night together on an abandoned yatch, after they finally escaped China. They had an argument, her trying to push him away, him trying to understand her. She had confessed to him what happened to her as a child. He accepted her for who she was, teaching her that her body was not just a vessel for pain. Sherry Birkin was worthy of love. Jake taught her body what it was to feel affection, to enjoy the sensations that came with it, to cross the line that separated her memories of pain to her new found source of pleasure. She offered him her soul and he refused with the excuse of not being worthy. Now he threw his love around freely it seemed. She felt dirty all over again. She pulled her arms around herself, turning away from him. Her tears flowed freely now from her eyes. She fell to the ground, shutting down. Her body went numb. Suddenly the floor gave out around her.

* * *

**Untitled**

Sherry fell as if in a dream. Everything slowed down as the trap door opened beneath her. Someone chuckled in the distance. She heard Jake scream her name. He dove after her, grasping frantically. He grabbed her by the shirt, it tore as he made contact. He called her name again, grasping her by the arm. She was in a daze. The world spun into focus. She looked down, a pool of water with spikes below her. Jake was above her, laying flat as he pulled her up to him. The torch flickered on the floor where it fell, looking like it was going to burn out. "I told you super girl, I don't do Indiana Jones shit."

She reached her other arm up to him only to be snatched away by a vine-like tentical. "Jake." She called out softly. "Please, don't let go." They stared deeply into each other's eyes. More tenticles reached from the depths below, wrapping themselves around Sherry, choking her. Jake held her hand with one hand, her forearm in the other. He heard her bones break in her wrist and hand under his strength and her weight as she was pulled further down, slipping away from him. She cried out slightly, trying to hold the pain in. "Jake, just run... Go! Save Manuela..." He shook his head at her, grunting as he used all of his strength. Sherry felt faint as she was choked tighter. It was true she was hard to kill but she was still human, vulnerable to basic human weaknesses.  
"I won't leave you." He shook his head, never losing contact with her eyes. He reached down further, sliding his arm up to her shoulder, grasping her forearm with his other hand. Sherry took out her gun, she shot a J'avo behind him, then shot down into the water below, hoping to break free. Her gun fell as she momentarily lost consciousness. She kicked her legs out as she lost her footing, flailing them at the sickly, wet thing that was pulling her down. "Jake..." She whispered with her last breath.

Jake pulled Sherry's hands up to the ledge, making sure she was holding on, then he swung himself down, kicking the shit out of the thing with his feet, shooting it with his gun. He ripped the thing away from her neck. He knew J'avo were surrounding them above. They were not his concern yet. The tentical he ripped off squeezed tightly around his wrist like it had a mind of it's own. He freed Sherry and dug his feet into the floor, shoving her up the wall. "C'mon, super girl. I know you're tougher than that." A J'avo swung it's blade down at Sherry. Jake grabbed it by the ankle and tugged it into the pit. He swung himself up with the momentum. He grabbed her by the hand and ran as fast as his feet could take him. They wandered the labyrinth, Sherry's feet barely touching the floor. He turned a corner and pulled her up against his chest, staring deeply into her eyes. He could just barely make them out in the dark. They shared the same look of fear and desperation in their blue eyes. "Sherry." He whispered, "I can't go on lying to myself." She shook her head against his chest.  
"Please Jake, don't." She sighed, melting against him. "I won't compromise your morals... Or lack there of."

The last part hurt him. It seemed she couldn't make up her mind if she was angry about Sheva or happy for him. She already said she didn't expect either of them to wait for each other. "Sherry... She was a good companion, that's all it was. You?" He held her chin with his fingers. She shook them away.  
"Don't... Don't explain yourself." She shook her head. He could feel her tears soaking his shit.  
"I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought, it would be easy. She was raised an orphan, a child soldier, like me... I thought it was what I wanted." Sherry sobbed softly in his arms, trying to hold it all in. She just kept shaking her head.  
"Sherry. I was wrong. I was so wrong." He squeezed her tight, slumping to the floor with her in his arms.  
"Jake..." She stammered, "Manuela. We have to save Manuela." She pushed him away again, stumbling in the dark with her hands out like when she was a child. He held her hand tightly and wandered the narrow pathway with her, their fingers brushing against the walls.  
"We'll save her, Sherry." He whispered, "I promise."

They stumbled around for what seemed like forever, afraid to use anything to light their path. They were severely outnumbered. Jake found a common symbol engraved on the walls. They followed all the pathways with the symbol engraved like an arrow marking their way. Finally, they came to a doorway. They both took deep breaths, pausing before they tried to open it. "Jake." Sherry stammered again, shaking with fear. He squeezed her hand lightly, then gave her a hug. "If we don't make it... I forgive you. I understand why..." He smiled softly, interrupting her with his finger, hushing her softly.  
"Thank you, super girl." He whispered in her ear, kissing her forehead lightly. They held each other tightly for another long moment, then broke their embrace to open the door.

Their eyes adjusted to a bright light. The long hallway before them had several rooms on either side. The walls were full of bricks. Jake and Sherry felt lightheaded. "This must be where they are keeping her." Sherry whispered as they took cover behind a desk. "The high oxygen is making me dizzy." Jake smirked back at her.  
"You and me both, babe." They looked around at the prisons. There was only one occupant. She wore a plain white medical gown, bandages lining her right arm. She wore a long glove up to her shoulder on that arm. There were no J'avo in this room. They agreed that was a good thing. Who needed something flammable down here. They made their way to the woman. She had brownish blonde hair, in two pigtails at either side of her face, the back of her hair flowed freely down her back. She was unconscious, strapped to a table. Sherry shivered. She wondered if this girl was experimented on in the US as well like she was. They looked about the same age, likely because they were both exposed to viruses young. Jake squeezed her hand again, snapping Sherry out of her memories. He had a look of understanding like he knew what she was thinking.  
"Jake, I don't want to hand her over if they put her through what they did to me, but..." She paused, shaking her head before continuing, "It's the best thing for her. One pinprick, one little scratch and she can erupt in flames. She's hemopheliac as well. If the bleeding isn't stopped immediately, she will bleed to death, burning everything present in a one mile radius." Manuela was unconscious. They were searching for the device controls to free her.

Sherry explained Manuela to Jake. Manuela was similar to the pair. Sherry was the only survivor of the G-Virus that had not mutated, reaping some of the benefits of the virus. Jake was immune to most viruses, his strength, speed and stamina improved with the C-Virus. Manuela was the only survivor of the T-Veronica virus that could control it without mutation. Her arm was horribly scared and deformed due to the virus. She had been through several operations as the virus constantly destroyed her organs. Her father was a powerful man in South America. He would have women killed, their organs delivered to be implanted in Manuela, prolonging the life of his only daughter. Both her parents died as a result of her father's actions. Leon had rescued her years back.

They couldn't use weapons in this room. A single spark could set off an explosion. They only thing keeping Manuela back was the lack of other gases in the air. Sherry grew frustrated. nothing was working. Manuela stirred. The sedative they had given her wearing off. Jake looked around the room wearily while Sherry continued to search for the release. "Sherry..." He whispered, "Whoever has her prisoner may come back soon." He pointed to some hiding spots as he heard a sound. "We'll take them captive." She nodded in agreement as they hid against the wall.

A figure entered the room. His black boots clicking against the floor. He was tall wore tight-fitting black clothes and a black jacket. His blonde hair combed back. He slid a pair of shades off of his chiseled, long face, revealing red, glowing eyes. He smirked, chuckling. The same chuckle the had heard before. Sherry peaked out, watching him. She recognized him immediately, knowing that voice and face from her childhood. She clasped a hand to her mouth, shaking her head. Jake shook his head, his eyes narrowed. He peeked too, out of curiosity. It looked like the same guy who was in South America. He recognized the voice when the man spoke.

"You two can come out of hiding now." He smirked, going about his business, drawing a needle. He shoved it into an I.V. that stuck out of Manuela's arm. Her eyes were half closed as she stared at Sherry, her eyes begging for help, her lips motionless. He whistled a tune to himself as he ran her blood through a centrifuge. Jake shrugged, her arms out, wondering what to do. "Don't be shy now..." The man continued in his monotone voice. "I wouldn't harm such beautiful specimens foolishly." Sherry nodded at Jake, they stepped out, guns drawn at the figure. He chuckled, turning to face them. He seemed amused. "Sherry Birkin... My... Or should I say, my predecessor's niece. Our parents were close, weren't they. Sherry couldn't hide her confusion. "Please... You know you can't fire in here. You'll blow the whole place up and your target with it." Jake took the safety off the trigger. Sherry lowered her gun. Jake shot her a look of confusion, raising his eyebrow.

"Who is this guy, Sherry." She shook her head.  
"I think he's..." The man cut her off.  
"You are mistaken, Agent Birkin." He clasped his hands behind his back, straightening himself to his full height. Jake took in his features, seeing a similarity in himself. The long, straight nose. The narrow brows and deep eyes. The height of his forehead. Realization hit him. He wanted to pop a cap in the son of a bitch.  
"Wesker?" Jake growled, his eyes narrowing. The man laughed at the suggestion.  
"Very close. You may call me Chimerys" Jake laughed at the name. He smirked and cocked his head.  
"What type of fucked up cartoon name is that? Did you pull your villain shit out of a book?" The man chuckled back, raising an eyebrow in amusement.  
"I'm a chimera of sorts. That is the easiest way to explain it to laymen." He walked around them, sizing them up, gesturing with his hands. "I am better than any Wesker... Even your father." He moved fast, seeming to teleport in front of Jake. He strangled him tightly, looking him in the eyes. "I'm the future King of the World." Jake threw his hands up a moment too late to defend himself as he was kneed in the gut. Sherry started towards Jake, calling out his name. The figure chuckled to himself again.

"You are fast but not fast enough." He smiled, then settled his gaze on Sherry as he let go of Jake. A look of excitement lit up his face.  
"I wonder what you can do..." He let go of Jake and appeared before Sherry before Jake could even hit the ground. He grabbed her by the face and lifted her off the ground, squeezing his fingers against her jaw until she bled. Sherry winced in pain, hate burning in her eyes. Jake was grasping his throat, trying to breathe. He gasped out her name, reaching for her. Aloysius looked her over as she gritted her teeth, trying to match her gaze with his. Sherry refused to give into her fears. "Hmm..." He let go of her, grabbing her by her shirt. "I see..." He watched as Sherry's skin healed itself, the blood that rinsed down her neck came to a stop. "You are interesting, aren't you, little one..." He threw her like a puppet. She yelped out in pain, her bones breaking on impact with a loud thud. She spit blood from her mouth and fell unconscious, blood streaming from her ears.

Jake psyched himself up, going into a martial arts pose. "I've fought shit bigger and stronger than you." He growled and lunged forward at Aloysius. He promised himself he would never fail Sherry again, yet here he was, outmatched again. He had to make it, for her. He was struck to the ground before his fists could connect, his limbs sprawling about as he was thrown on top of Sherry. He refused to pass out. He checked her vitals. The girl could take a beating but how much was too much? He scooped her into his arms, feeling helpless and defenseless against the ghost of his father. An alarm sounded, perking Aloysius up. He turned his back to them. "Seems we have some visitors..." he chuckled, "Let me greet them.

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**"Requiem for a Dream" Movie Soundtrack**

"Sherry?" She heard a voice calling out to her. Her body ached. She hated that sickly feeling of her bones rearranging back into place, flesh and bone mending. Even the sound of her torn skin mending made her feel sick. It was all a reminder of the experiments she lived through. "Sherry!?" Jake? Was that Jake? Her face felt wet on both cheeks, something splashed in her eyes. Warm arms embraced her. She started to slip back into silence as the voice echoed further and further away. "Don't you fucking die on me, super girl!" Jake... He's angry with me... Why is he so angry... The light was bright before her, like a tunnel opening out in the distance. "I mean it. Goddamn it... I can't lose you." The anger turned to a whimper of sadness. Why... Why was he so sad. She reached her hands out to him but they wouldn't move. Sherry felt her body rocking like an infant. Her head swirled, the room spun into reality. "Sherry!?" She looked up at his sad face, the room spun around him. Where was she? Why was he so sad. Her hand went up to touch the familiar indent on his cheek. "Sherry, you're gonna be okay. You're with me this time. We're going to get out of here..." Her fingers lightly brushed his skin, her hand slipped away, fading into darkness again. She tried so hard but couldn't keep herself from falling back into the abyss.

Jake stumbled through the darkness. Manuela stumbled with him as they carried Sherry through the narrow passageway, each with an arm around her neck and shoulder. Sherry's feet dragged along the floor. They heard a battle up ahead filled with familiar voices. Chris and Sheva. They rounded a corner as Manuela lead Jake out of the place, directing him as they pulled Sherry through the darkness. Sherry opened her eyes fully. She called out for Jake. He embraced her with tears of joy, not trying to hide his feelings for once. He touched her cheeks and kissed her forehead. "Oh god... You made it." Manuela called for Jake, pointing ahead. There were small emergency lights on now. An alarm sounded. They entered a large room. It had bright lights that flashed intermittently. It looked like an intended trap to distort and confuse attackers.

Jake kicked a table over for cover, laying Sherry down. He couldn't risk Manuela getting injured with her abilities. She was a priority for now. Sherry sat up, drawing her weapon. Jake smiled softly at her. "Welcome back, super girl." She smiled softly, looking up at his kind face for a moment. She hadn't seen Jake smile like that since their last great escape, when he said she had been the one to save him. She peaked around the table, trying to clear a path before them.  
"Sheva! Chris!" They turned for a moment, noticing the three stragglers hiding behind the table. Chris made some hand signals to Sheva. Jake understood them. The trio proceeded to the other end of the room, Sheva and Chris using cover fire as they ran to meet them. Sherry and Jake also provided cover, trying to keep Manuela from being injured. They knew this wasn't going to be an easy mission when they went in. Luckily they made it.

"Sheva, Sherry," Chris started pointing, "...get Manuela out of here. Jake," he nodded at his former nemesis, "You're with me." Jake nodded, pushing Sherry towards the exit. He knew that if given the choice, she'd rather stay here and die by his side. The men stayed behind, providing cover as they slowly caught up to the girls at the exit. Too many J'avo mutated at once. Jake resorted to his fists when the ladies were clear, kicking as he shot a few rounds into the J'avo to throw them off guard. Sherry froze, looking over her shoulder at the firefight. There was no way Jake and Chris could take them all. She looked back at Sheva who nodded understandingly.  
"If I wasn't injured, I'd do the same." Sheva smiled warmly, heading out with Manuela. "I've got it from here, go on." Sherry nodded and reloaded her gun. She ran back to Jake's side.  
"Jesus Christ, Sherry." He growled at her, "Are you fucking stupid?" Sherry shook her head at him.  
"You know damn well that I have a higher chance of surviving this than either of you." Sherry winced in pain as she was struck. Chris looked over at her, confusion on his face. He saw the bullet wound in her arm heal itself. He shook his head in disbelief.  
"Claire never told me you could do that." He looked around the room, turning to shoot some enemies off Jake's back. Sherry dodged under Chris' arm, rolling on the floor, then swinging her gun up to shoot a J'avo to the right. She shook her head.  
"Leon and Claire don't know..." She smiled softly, gazing at Chris for a brief moment. "I'd like to keep it that way." Chris nodded knowingly. Her file was classified after all, just like Jake's relationship to Wesker. In Sherry's case though, it was everything in her file before her training in the DSO.

"Jake!" Sherry cried out as the place began to collapse. She dashed forward, grabbing him. They rolled for a long distance as Sherry wrapped her small frame around him. It was too late. Chris looked out at them in devastation. A large piece of fixture was impaled through Sherry. She looked down at Jake. He was barely breathing, his eyes wide with surprise. She called out his name, then looked down between them. Everything felt like slow motion. The room whirled until it was just the two of them. The shrapnel had gone right through her and into Jake. Sherry could take the hit. Who knew what Jake could handle. When the two were in China, he mentioned that he didn't have her healing abilities. He looked up at her as his gaze began to waver. He couldn't speak. She called out to him again, shaking him, begging him not to die. The tables had turned for the worse. Sherry tried to pry herself off of him. He shook his head, barely whispering, his words sounding like they would be his last. "T... too late... for me... S... Sorry... super g..." He felt his body going numb, their blood swirling together into a puddle beneath them. He reached his fingers out and touched her chest, then beat his palm to his chest, before embracing her. He could hear her screaming his name in the distance as his ears became deaf. "Go..." He mouthed the words, unable to speak. He hugged her tight one last time, looking her in the eyes. With the last of his strength, he kissed her passionately, bullets flying overhead and J'avo encircling them.

Sheva and Manuela appeared at Chris' side in the exit. Manuela had removed her fire-resistant glove and bit her finger. She flung her blood around the two of them with accuracy, leading a path back to the group of allies. Sheva and Chris covered Jake and Sherry as they melted against each other. Sherry felt her body burning as he sizzled, charring into ash. She noticed her blood was mixing with his, she could feel it entering his body, calling to her like he was now a relative. Her virus willed her body to want him more. Their tongues entwined as Jake burned in her arms, her hands grasping his body tighter as he became lighter. She opened her eyes, the entire front of her burned from her face to her thighs, covered in soot as she healed slowly.  
"Sherry!" The world sped up around her, she heard Chris and Sheva calling her name. She didn't know that Jake would burn like a J'avo. She looked at the ash falling out of her hands, her tears falling to the blood pool beneath them. She had hoped she could have carried him out, maybe he could have been saved. Just like the the C-Virus, the G-Virus had it's flaws. Zombies did not like fire. Prolonged exposure to heat was definately not her friend,Her skin barely healed. She didn't care if it scared. She didn't care to live anymore. Not without him.

"Sherry! We gotta go!" The place continued to crumble around her as they called for her again, gun fire all around her, J'avo mutating and combusting, debris falling. Chaos erupted but Sherry was silent and still. She finally brought herself to leave when Jake's ashes began to swirl, forming a chrysalis. She was losing blood and fast. If there was a change Jake could live, she had to survive. Sherry pushed herself up but it was futile. The two foot piece of Shrapnel within her was lodged through the chrysalis. She pushed herself up against the wall, cuddling the heavy chrysalis in the form of her lover. With a grunt and a scream, she pushed her back up against the wall, pushing the shrapnel through her. The chrysalis slipped through her hands, taking the shrapnel with it. she was released from her fate. She fell to the floor, writhing in pain, laying at the feet of the chrysalis as her body began to heal. The world slowed down again as she scrambled, trying to find her feet. She reached her hands out to drag the chrysalis out with her, only to be pulled away from it. Strong arms were around her, dragging her away. She kicked and screamed, wailing Jake's name into the room as she was pulled through the labyrinth once more. She could barely make out who was talking to her. Manuela's blood splattered before her again, erupting into flames. The J'avo kept away from them. She felt herself going weak from the loss of blood. She had pushed her abilities too many times today. She gave up the struggle, collapsing into tears as she was dragged into the burning sun outside. The exit doors closed before her. The arms released her.

Sherry fell to a heap before the cold, stone doors. The place crumbed before her into the ground as someone grabbed her to drag her away again. She rushed forward, pushing those arms away and threw herself at the doors. She clawed and clawed, screaming and crying for Jake until her finger bleed. Someone tried to hug her. She pushed them away again, clawing until the flesh tore away at her fingers, her bones engraving the limestone walls. The flesh and muscle on her hands healed, only to tear away again as she cried out in rage. She had to be sedated for her own safety, before the virus within her body could mutate and change from her stress levels. She barely felt the needle as it pierced her skin, making her feel faint. She kept clawing until she fainted, succumbing to the anesthetic.

**Shocker? Oh no, she just didn't! Mmhmm, she just did! Or did she? (Save the hate mail for here comes a new book after one more chapter! Is he really dead? Don't let me ruin it for you but if he was really dead, no one would read my shit!)**

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**"In Flander's Fields the Poppys Blow Between the Crosses Row on Row" Poem by John McCrae**

I wanted to draw this out longer, it's way way way too short, but my toddler needs to head to bed and I don't want to leave people hanging (me) after that last chapter :)

Sherry awoke in a hospital, hosted by the BSAA FOS. She found out that Chris had been the one to have pulled her through the labyrinth, leaving Jake's chrysalis behind. He tried to explain that he understood her grief. Piers had done the same to him in Edonia, where he lost all of his men. The same day that Sherry had met Jake and rescued him from the hands of Neo-Umbrella and her ex-boss, the now deceased Simmons.

Sherry recovered physically from her ordeal. The burns didn't scar but they had taken her a good two months to heal. The doctors couldn't explain the slow rejuvenation of the virus this time; it could have been emotional or physical stress. Sherry could have just lacked the will to recover as she no longer card for anything much.

Once she was physically ready, they did a memorial service for Jake Muller. He saved the world and the world would never know who he really was. Sherry stood at the podium. Only the DSO really attended, obviously out of obligation. She hadn't recognized most of the faces of the people there. Jake was to be honored, even though he was not American.

Sheva and Chris attended. Chris was even able to pull Claire away from her duties to be there for her "little sister." They all tried to comfort her but Sherry wouldn't hear a word of it. She avoided all contact from her "friends." She was alone in the world once more, finding herself drifting away one the memories of the past year. Sherry was a strong woman, she would manage, she would survive. She always hid her pain, only wearing her heart on her sleeve when it really mattered.

Sherry tried to make a speech, failing miserably. She then tried to wing it, collapsing at the podium in a heap of tears. She didn't even write a report about the mission. She wanted to just retire from the DSO and fade away into obscurity, knowing the government would never let her go. She wore a black turtleneck, a blazer and a skirt that went to the knee. She smiled softly, remember all the stupid fights they had, as she threw red roses upon his memorial stone. Roses were his mother's favorite. She left a basket of apples and a bottle of home-made apple cider. She collapsed again at the memorial.

Something called to Sherry, a feeling she didn't understand. She could hear his voice inside her mind. She shook her head, fighting back her tears, fighting the voice in her head. She felt she was going insane but would not tell anyone. Jake's body had not been recovered after several "archaeological digs." At least that's what they masked it the search and rescue as. Somehow, Sherry knew he was alive. Something was calling out to her in the dark recesses of her mind.

Jake Muller died in her arms but was he truly dead?

Her head hurt, her body ached for him. Even though she had never had a man, she wondered if this is what it felt like to miss your lover. Her loins ached every time she thought of him. It stirred her awake at night, bringing her to tears. She was losing control of her body and her mind at the same time. Medical reports showed no changes in her DNA but Sherry knew, something felt different. She would take her mourning leave in Egypt. She would find Jake Muller herself.


	8. The hunger within pt 1 of 3

******Book 5: ********Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within**

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**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

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**"What do you do when your best friend goes one day? Somebody takes their life away. Don't want to wake up... Monday morning" Monday Morning, Prozzak**

Sherry Birkin arrived in Egypt, against both doctor's and her supervisor's orders. It seemed that the closer she got to Cairo, the more her sensations ran through her body. She explored Cairo, tracing her steps back to the exit of the labyrinth. It pulled her like she was in a trance, calling out to her. Every night since the incident, Jake called out to her in her dreams, begging for her to join him. She woke up screaming and crying, calling his name. Her employers were concerned as she couldn't manage to even fill out her reports two months after the incident. If they had been married, she would have at least been given the year to mourn. Her recovery time was more than her allotted mourning period.

A few days before, she had scrambled together a half-assed report, promising to fill in the details more clearly upon her return. She swore it was just something she had to get out of her head, to do a few things Jake and herself would have enjoyed together, in his memory. It was a lie, an excuse to escape to where she saw him last, where he called to her in her dreams. Her body ached in arousal, the strange sensations taking her over as she scraped her fingers on the stone walls. She touched the stones where her flesh tore from her fingers two months ago. Her bones left scratches all over the walls. Jake was alive. She believed it. Instinct told her he was no longer here.

She never got over him, not since they left each other in Edonia. They never really got to say goodbye. Their passion was interrupted by Jake's conscience, refusing to submit to her begging and pleading. She recognized this feeling now. The hunger burned within her. It was more than her love for him. Her cheeks flushed hot at the realization. This was not love, it was lust. She could smell him on the sands that were excavated. She could taste his skin on the wind.

She hopped back into the rental Hummer, slipping a pair of shades on her eyes to protect her against the sun. It was nearing Chrismas Eve. December 24 would be one year since she met Jake Muller. She wanted to find him before then. It was the first year that she wasn't alone for Christmas since her parents died. Even though they spend it running for their lives from Ustanak and then being forcibly confined and experimented on for six months, she wasn't alone. She'd never forget Jake Muller. The things they went through, the feelings they expressed.

At the beginning, they couldn't stand each other. Their personalities clashed as they saw each other mainly as liabilities. Their awkward silences and shared near-death experiences blossomed into a friendship that blurred the lines between being platonic and intimately frustrating. Jake shaved Sherry's life several times but he told Sherry she had saved his soul. Here she was, a Special Agent of the United States, DSO, in love with a mercenary. A now pardoned but once internationally infamous, wanted mercenary.

Jake was her dark side. Sarcastic, angry, impulsive, brash but intelligent and resourceful. He was just misunderstood, not really as bad as he appeared. Sherry found the heart of her mercenary, bringing it out of him. His life changed because of knowing her. Her life became more meaningful. She had someone she could truly open up to without judgement. Someone who didn't view her as the little girl they rescued or some sort of guinea pig to experimented on. They both shared a rough childhood, being orphaned in their teens by psychotic or misguided parents. Ironically, if their parents had been more normal, they could have even grown up together, despite being born six years apart.

Most importantly, Jake taught her that she wasn't an object. She deserved love and deserved to love herself and her body, for better or for worse. The virus that coursed through her veins, mutating and changing at will, was a blessing and a curse. It qualified her, despite her lack of experience, to find Jake. It steered their destiny towards each other. Jake's immunity, gained genetically from his father, lead her to find him. Of course, it was for the wrong purposes but in the end it all worked out. Except for one thing.

Sherry had returned to the US, frustrated and upset. Their relationship stayed platonic and frustrated, forever teetering on the edge. She wanted so much more from him, knowing he wanted it to. He just refused to give in, refused to accept this for what it was. It was pure, unadulterated love. Like Romeo and Juliet, the pair tore apart because of commitments and pleasantries. Nothing that would really matter if they could just let themselves go. Sherry regretted that now.

She drove along on the path Jake's intelligence originally mapped out. Cairo to Alexandria, then hopped a fairy north through the Mediterranean sea. Cyprus, Malta, Sicily, Venus, Rome... Every time she came close to him, her blood boiled, the dreams became more vivid and her body reacted stronger. He was so close she could literally smell him. She wondered what that bastard "chimera" as he called himself, could have done with her Jake. He kept calling them specimens when they were at his mercy with Manuela, the only living bearer of the T-Veronica virus. Sherry was endangering herself by seeking Jake, knowing it was a trap. Chimerys as he called himself, the self appointed "New World's Cesar," of "Vox Populi, Vox Dei," must have been plotting the same thing as Wesker. Sherry didn't know who or what he was but she had to stop him and she had to save Jake in the process.

Sherry wondered if this is what her father felt after injecting himself with the T-Virus to prolong his life. The calling to your own species. The thought sickened her. It turned her stomach but the feeling aching inside of her, wanting to burst free... She couldn't deny it any longer. She felt like she was in heat. Her temperature rose, her heart raced, her palms sweat. She ached all over, wanting to feel his kisses all over her body again. Jake had sworn to her he wouldn't take her innocence but it wouldn't be the first time Sherry had to make him break a promise. She hadn't been able to hold herself back from him when they were completely alone before. Now that his blood called her, how would she stop herself?

Sherry felt she was losing her humanity along with her sanity to the G-Virus within her. She hungered to feed on Jake's flesh. She feared what she was becoming, even though she was told her genes and her body hadn't mutated at all, comparing her DNA on file from the past 15 years. She didn't want to become a zombie or a demon. She just wanted to know Jake was alive and safe. She's risk anything and everything for that, even her humanity.

* * *

**"Ain't it Good to be Alive, To Feel the Sun Strong Against Your Face? Strawberry Blond Waves of Silky Hair Spills Over Me Like the Milky Way" Alive, Edwin**

**(The moment you have all been waiting for.)**

Two months prior:

Jake awoke from a nightmare. The world collapsed around around him angrily, shaking violently like an earth quake. The air was moist, his skin was wet and warm. He couldn't see anything. He heard voices calling out. They seemed familiar but so distant. Except for one voice. He recognized her instantly. Sherry. She seemed angry and sad all at the same time. She screamed for him. He felt movement but was unable to stretch his long limbs. A clattering sound. He rocked to sleep as her voice faded away.

No... He would not sleep, not today. He wanted to follow her voice. His angel cried for him and he was not there to console her. He pushed through with all his might, daylight giving way to the crumbling world around him. It burned his eyes like he had never seen the sun before. He gasped for air, his lungs burning as if it was his first breath. A sticky substance covered his naked body. He found himself weak and helpless as his limbs flailed against his will. He wanted to scream her name but no sound came out. Jake was frightened and helpless as the world collapsed around him once more. This time, it was no dream.

A figure approached him as he squinted against the light and chaos. No J'avo attacked him this time, instead they carried him away. He lost consciousness as he found himself hurtling through the air into a truck. He rolled against the cold floor, shivering, freezing from the cold. Jake Muller of Edonia, complaining about the weather in Egypt being too cold. He looked as his body, small and frail like a child. His eyes glowed red as his scar burned against his face, re-replicated his DNA to the age and appearance he had before... death? He shook his head. Was this hell because it sure wasn't heaven. If this was heavy, he'd be smiling up at Sherry, her wings wrapping around him in a loving embrace.

He closed his eyes as he remembered their last moments together. Chaos erupting, fire burning around them, bullets flying overhead, then utter silence as her screams fell on his deafened ears. He tried to gesture that he loved her. She left as sweet kiss upon his lips as he forced himself to kiss her passionately. His body screamed in pain as it caught fire. He lost himself, going numb as he burned alive, singing Sherry's hair and sweet face as he held her one last time. He knew she would heal but he wasn't ready to die. He had so much to tell her, so much to live for. He opened his eyes again. Sherry was not here. He was cold and naked, being thrown around helplessly in a vehicle driven by a shitty driver on a shittier road.

He questioned his new reality. Was he one of those rhoided out freaks he despised? No, he couldn't be. J'avo awoke stronger each time they mutated. Jake was convinced he was still human. He stared at his hands as they morphed to their full length, glowing like an ember was inside of them. His body felt battered and broken. He closed his eyes again. Sherry... She had tried to protect him, throwing herself at him and rolling away. Something went through her, puncturing him at the other end. Her blood drained down it into his heart. They shared the same blood type, that he knew. He didn't know if he was immune to her virus or perhaps enhanced by it? He bit his finger, watching the blood drain. It didn't heal and it hurt like a bitch, like he had never felt pain before.

If he wasn't a J'avo, wasn't dead, wasn't a zombie... What the fuck was he? Jake heard a familiar chuckle. He balled his fists, trying to get up and punch whoever the fuck it was. Jake realized the vehicle wasn't dark, it's that he really couldn't see much yet. He yelled in frustration, finally finding his voice as he smacked his fists onto the vehicle's floor. He shivered from the cold but shook with fear and exasperation.

The mockery ghost of his father's image sat on a comfy chair secured to the back of the truck, a look of amusement on his face. He threw a blanket at Jake. Jake wanted to resist but just like in China, he was helpless right now. He drew the small blanket around himself, curling into a ball, shaking like a child. If Jake had any pride left, it was long gone in this moment. He folded his arms, bringing his knees up to his chest and clamped his eyes shut. "Sherry..." He shook his head, praying to himself for her. "She'll find me." He gritted his teeth, trying not to shiver, trying to hide his weaknesses. "She has to find me..."

Jake awoke to the sunlight on his face in his prison cell. He smiled softly. His every thought was Sherry, from wake to sleep and test to test. Two months had passed and Sherry was not here. Every day he grew stronger, never knowing if he was human anymore. He was pushed to his limits, all while being mocked by the bastard he wanted to kill. He trained his body to remember how to walk, how to eat, how to do everything again. Sherry... Her blood must have saved him, if only for a moment before he became immune. People injected with the G-Virus had the benefits of reproduction and regeneration. He still had his scar but maybe that was just a part of his DNA somehow. He refused to believe he wasn't human.

Humans had feelings, emotions, hopes, wants, dreams, desires. He had Sherry. He had to still be human. He loved her, he feared for her well being. He hoped to see her. He wanted her here more than ever. He dreamed of a future with her. He desired everything about her, even her rage and empathy. He knew she would come for him. Their fates were too intertwined, too coincidental to be nothing more than ships passing in the night. Every cell in his body craved her. Her taste, her smell, her soul. He would live through this and he would make her his again, this time for good.

He pushed through the pain, the rage, the humiliation. This was worse than what he went through in China. This bordered breaking his very being. If he ever hated Wesker, he hated this mockery of him even more. This one would die by his hands, with Sherry as his witness. He didn't know how Sherry could join the DSO after dealing with shit like this at the hands of her own government, even defending the United States, stating they were not the enemy. To think, they may have done even worse than this to her with healing factor. He pushed himself harder and harder, the bastard training him to be a killer. Every day it was a new drug to try and bend Jake to his will and every day it failed. Jake refused to give up. Sherry taught him that. He wouldn't give up on his hope that she would find him or he would escape to find her, no matter the odds. So long as he was alive, nothing else mattered.

* * *

**"I'm on the Hunt I'm After You. Scent and a Sound. I'm Lost and I'm Found... And I'm Hungry Like the Wolf" Hungry Like the Wolf, Duran Duran**

A figure appeared in the darkness, locked in an invisible hour-glass. The sands swirled around him, engulfing him as he clawed his way to the top. He pounded on its surface, swiping the sand from her view to show his face. Red hair, blue eyes, a scar on the left side of his face. Jake Muller. Sherry screamed, unable to hear her own sounds above his cries. She tried to run but was held in place by invisible hands, dragging her away. She burst free, pushing the limits of her body. She touched his hand, the invisible wall twelve inches thick. She pounded on it as he burst into flames. She screamed, as their world spun. Her time with Jake flashed before her eyes.

The smell of his skin excited her. The warmth of his body willing her with a need she couldn't satisfy. The hunger burned inside her like a volcano waiting to erupt, wanting to swallow a civilization whole. This was not the feeling she'd expect from a dream like this. She remembered the feeling of his red, short hair underneath her soft, light fingers as she screamed his name, looking deeply into his eyes as he lowered himself to kiss between her thighs, teasing her as she pleaded for more. More never came. The satisfaction just wasn't enough. She remembered his tongue running up her back, his warm breath following on her skin as his hands slid down her stomach. She could feel him hardening against her, holding himself back as he refused to give in. The held her all night on that boat when they had escaped.

Jake made her feel like a woman. More-so, he made her human, accepting her body for what it was. It was not a vessel for pain, suffering and neglect. He taught her it could feel as beautiful as she looked. She gripped her sheets, clawing her fingers into the bed in her sleep as she thrashed about. Her back arching as her thighs burned with wanting. His eyes... She wanted to drown in those pools every time she looked at them. Even when he was angry, they burned a hole through her soul that just couldn't be filled. He couldn't be dead. Sherry needed him, she needed him more than ever.

The fire raged on inside her, her every thought leading to that passionate moment they nearly had. She wore that stupid outfit he gave her as a joke, her "super hero costume." The lace was both soft and rough the texture tickled her skin, the satin cool against her eyes. His rough hands ran softly down her body, his fingers tickling her softly, as she lead those hands down her zipper, undressing her. She gasped with pleasure, shuddering under his touch. They kissed passionately as he held her up against the wall in the luxury Hong Kong hotel. She remembered begging him to enter her, to take her chastity and innocence.

The rejection stung her hard as Jake literally fought himself off of her, refusing to give in, blaming his father for his new-found sense of morals. They fought bitterly, the evening ending quietly as he scooped her up in his arms, wrapping her in a soft blanket, then left her on the couch to deal with her feelings for him on her own. He barely said goodbye as he refused meet up with her again. That was nearly six months ago. Even through the memory of sadness, her body ached for more. She wanted to devour him. Her body raged with lust and hunger. She could smell him in the air. Her hands tore the bed sheets in her sleep, her fingers ripping away at her clothing.

Sherry awoke to a strange noise. Her phone was ringing. She aroused from her trance, panting heavily as she grabbed it and looked at the phone number, hoping it was Jake. He called her the last time he was in trouble. She felt deeply disappointed. It was Claire on the line. Claire had helped clear up the remaining B.O.W.s in Egypt after Sheva, Chris and Sherry had rescued Manuela. That's where Jake had died in her arms, burning into ash as she kissed him for the last time. The ashes swirled before her like in a fantasy as his body formed a chrysalis. Chris "rescued" her, dragging her burned body away as she fought and kicked against him. It had taken her two months to recover from the burns. Fire was the one weakness she had from the G-Virus, besides the basic human conditions of drowning or freezing to death. Her tolerance for pain, extreme pressure, temperature, lack of oxygen was incredible but fire... Her body burned with passion as she thought of Jake bursting into flames in her arms. The memory of the pain excited her.

Her phone was still ringing as she came to her senses. Claire... She finally answered. Instead of greeting Claire, she blurted out if there was any sign of Jake. She heard Claire's sad voice on the other line. Claire was the one who pulled the strings, playing with legal loopholes to pull a search and rescue mission, calling it an archaeological dig. She searched hard for two months and they had not found Jake. She told Sherry that she had some intelligence on the group that had attacked them. They seemed like they were moving towards Spain like Jake had said. Perhaps they were looking for the original Plagas, parasites and other bacteria that were combine to create Uraboros, Albert Wesker's last creation. That research had gone into the C-Virus to create J'avo and virus-parasite hybrid creatures like the shark Leon and Helena wrote about in their reports. Claire said Leon would call to tell her of the details once they had all the correct intelligence. He would meet her in Spain. She warned Sherry to check in with her superiors periodically as everyone knew this was no simple leave of absence. They wanted to know where she was at all times with no exceptions.

Sherry apologized to her good friend for her strange behavior. No one knew how strongly she had felt for Jake until this had happened. Sherry never spoke about her personal life, triumphs or tragedies. She always kept to herself, facing everything on her own. Faithful, loyal, shy and independent. That was Sherry Birkin. She would share your joy and hardships, carrying them like her own burden but never revealed herself to anyone. Even as a child in Raccoon City, she needed persuading to flee.

That girl was long gone now as the virus began to rage inside of her, stirring feelings that were not her own. She hung up after a short goodbye and stared in the mirror of her bedroom vanity. Her hotel was small, quiet, renaissance style. A soft blue texture covered the walls, lush dark curtains flowed over the windows. The ceramic floor was cool against her feet. It was winter in Italy, chillier than she thought it would be. She couldn't stand to be here anymore. She had to find Jake. She showered, changed and swung her blue scarf around her neck. She looked in the mirror one more time, thinking she saw something strange in her eyes. She shook off the strange feeling and headed out the door.

* * *

**Untitled**

Jake collapsed, exhausted from the gauntlet he ran daily. Every day something new was added, testing his memory, strength, endurance but more importantly his patience. It tested his faith in himself and his belief that Sherry would find him. Try as he might, he could not escape this hell. There were no openings where he was taken out of this cell. The stronger he got, the more the place seemed reinforced. Anytime he tried to breath through a wall, or touched the bars on his window, the creature around his neck strangled him like a boa constrictor. If he dared to fight back, a gun was always aiming at him. He tried to tamper with the weaponry and the camera once but he was shocked until he fell unconscious.

This hell needed to come to an end. It was worse than China. The only thing he knew this time was that Sherry was alive. Not being tortured this time. It was his turn to experience her pain, to fight himself as he pursued a dream of freedom. Sometimes he wanted to cry, forgetting all the toughness he developed after the loss of his mother. The cold, greedy devil Sherry had met in Edonia was long gone as Jake questioned his humanity. His speed his strength, his tolerance for punishment. This was not human. He stared at his rough, calloused hands, his skin cracking and bleeding. Whatever saved him that day, be it Sherry's blood or sheer hope... It wasn't here anymore in his cold, empty cell.

He panted on the floor, naked and hungry. He watched as the gauntlet door closed behind him, hopefully for the last time today. Jake knew he would face it again by morning. He looked up through the barred window, a light breath of snow twinkled as it fluttered in, showering him with sprinkles of wet frost. He thought back to the cabin and the cold night with Sherry last December. He missed their awkward silences, longing for them. He could almost feel her in the room, her presence warming his cold flesh.

That was the night he awoke in the snow with Sherry's blood on his hands. She had been struck by shrapnel from their helicopter crash. He hadn't known what to do, fearing she'd bleed to death. She was alive, begging him to pull it out. He hesitated often, warning her she'd bleed to death. She hadn't replied like she was requesting a quick end from him. Then she revealed her true self. Bleeding and moaning, she healed herself, a sickly sight as her body contorted in pain. He filled with fear, thinking she was one of the J'avo or a B.O.W. Was she really trying to "rescue" him? Or did she have an alternative motive.

Frostbitten and cold, exhausted from all the running and fighting, he caught her little frame in his arm as she foolishly opened the door to the cabin. He forced the door closed, holding her for a moment too long as he stared in her fearful eyes. They were full of shame as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. The moment went on too long, his hand on the small of her back. He hadn't truly noticed how beautiful she was. There was something special in her. When he first met Sherry Birkin, he thought she was just out of place on the battlefield. pretty, petite, what was a little model like her doing there? Had his birthday come already?

He smiled to himself. She was awkward sometimes, clumsy on her feet but good with a weapon. She was as resourceful as he was, easily keeping up with him. She was fast and frail but precise with her aim. She saved his ass several times in battle. He saved her every time they were on the run, holding her protectively in his strong arms. She was so small against his long frame and as light as a doll. He could carry her through hell and back. He smiled. He kind of did after their last battle with Ustanak. He discovered then that Sherry did have one weakness. Fire.

Her true strengths were not in her "super powers." It was her loyalty, her faithfulness. Her ability to believe that no matter what they were up against, they could pull through so long as they stuck together. He lay his head on the cold floor of his room, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. Jake had betrayed her. Not in his relationship with his last battle partner, Sheva. No, he betrayed her when he left that night six months ago, refusing to take her innocence. She said she understood but he didn't really even understand himself. He should have stayed that night. He should have stayed with her forever. Jake was now just a lab rat, like his bratty blonde once was. He totally understood all of her moping now when she was lost in her own head. Jake wanted to be with her right now, consoling her fears, embracing her in his arms.

Jake grunted, picking his broken, tired body off the floor. He huddled in the corner of the room for warmth. His body was now used to the temperatures he could stand before. He was no longer like an infant. The thought of Sherry's body against his, her sweet soft lips playing on his tongue... It warmed him deeply inside with a feeling he never felt for anyone. Somehow, he would survive. He would awake their awkward silences with the sounds of their pleasure. He would consummate his love for her and never leave her again. Jake Muller was not his father but he was still a human being with human desires. He refused to let go of his humanity. He wouldn't let this bastard break him.

* * *

**"All That We've Amassed, Shattered into Ash. Tenderly They Turned to Dust... All That I Adore" Things we Lost in the Fire, Bastille**

Sherry drove back to Florence. Somehow she had missed something along the trail. Maybe she had just missed him, maybe they knew she was on their trail. The calling in her blood made her question her humanity. She kept seeing a specter in her eyes. Was it the ghost of her father's disfigured form? Was this dance inside of her just a mating call in her blood? Her blood flowed through Jake now. She wondered if she had somehow healed him why he didn't stay as ash. Was she just chasing a monster like her father had become? Jake's voice wouldn't stay silent in her head, begging her to come to him. She was losing anything she had left in her soul since the day that Jake died in her arms. The look of fear and understanding in his eyes... Tears streamed down her face as she pushed that thought away. She wanted to remember the passion, the anger, everything about him. All she really saw was him bursting into flames in her arms, their last embrace, the painful burning kiss, the taste of her sweet Jake becoming charcoal on her tongue.

She looked through the rear-view mirror of her Fiat 500 and pressed down hard on the gas. J'avo. A whole flock of them. In a way, they were a welcomed sight. It meant Jake was close by. She weaved through traffic, slamming her hand on the horn as she cursed under her breath. Italians were familiar with driving crazy but she acted like a lunatic. People gestured rudely, cursing at her in Italian. She drove on. At least they were after her and not trying to spread the C-Virus. The car before her stopped and she slammed on her breaks. People were ditching their vehicles ahead as more J'avo invaded the highway. Sherry couldn't stop. She crashed through a barrier and went hurtling off the cliff.

Sherry closed her eyes, expecting a crash as she threw through the air. It never came. The vehicle rocked as she had lifted up higher. Kidnapped. Sherry looked at the view below. She shook her head. Even with her abilities, that was a long way down. She wouldn't survive. The J'avo didn't seem interested in harming her. She thought back to when that bastard, Aloysius, called them specimens. She chuckled to herself. All she had to do was expose herself in the open. Right place, right time. At least the ride to Jake was free.

She took out her phone and called Hunnigan. Hunnigan promised they wouldn't lose her under the radar this time. Sherry got the go-ahead for the kidnapping, ending her "vacation" as she offered to track this bastard down. The world didn't need another psycho trying to create a "perfect virus." Especially one that was never human to begin with. They had to take this guy down before he could play God like all those before him. Sherry wondered what experiments they may have been doing to Jake. When they had rescued Manuela Hidalgo, Aloysius kept the girl sedated. He had no fear as he freely took her blood in front of Jake and Sherry. Now he had Jake's blood, too, no doubt. She felt stupid for being so drawn to Jake, allowing herself to be taken. She shook her head, this just could not be helped. This was the only chance there was in tracking Aloysius down in time. With not even a year separating his activity from the last viral outbreak by Neo-Umbrella, the BSAA and DSO was just being spread out too thinly. She had to take him down. She had to do this alone.

The burning rose inside of her, taking over her body, overwhelming her as she came closer to Jake's location. She dug her hands into the seat in ecstasy. Sherry felt disgusted with herself, a prisoner of her body and the virus inside of it once more. She cried as her body contorted beyond her control. How would Jake react to her like this. She looked in her rear-view mirror. Her eyes looked glazed. They were not her own anymore. Her nails drew long as she tore into the dashboard, crying out with pleasure. She unbuckled her seat belt, unable to stand her clothes on her burning skin. She swallowed hard, choking back the sounds that escaped her. She looked into the mirror at herself. She was panting and moaning, grasping the seat of the Fiat. Her eyes were like frosted glass. Was she mutating?

Sherry didn't even recognize her own voice as it echoed through her ears. She smashed the mirror in a rage, unable to stand her appearance any longer. The blood dripping from her hands until she healed. She licked her blood clean from her fingers, its metallic taste sweet between her lips. She shuddered at the realization. Maybe she was always a monster. Maybe her silent restraint always held her back from mutating further. Did Jake curse her humanity with his presence. No, it was her blood inside of him. It called to her. She had finally found a compatible mate and the desire tore at her insides. She closed her eyes and cried, sobbing loudly between her uncontrollable moans, afraid of what was to come.

* * *

**"I'm Looking At You Through the Glass. Don't Know How Much Time has Passed. Oh, God It Feels Like Forever. But No One Ever Tells You That Forever Feels Like Home Sitting All Alone Inside Your Head" Looking Through the Glass, Stone Sour**

Jake was disturbed by a noise. It was the chuckling fool once more. "I have a surprise for you my little pet." He chuckled again. Jake wandered into the gauntlet room against his will as the thing choked him around his neck into submission. He looked up to the bastard's viewing room. A smirk was across the bastard's face. Jake looked around. Nothing seemed new today. That was different. No J'avo, no crazy platforms or collapsing walls. Everything was silent. He spotted a chair. Clothing. That was something different. He smirked at the bastard, then flipped him off, his hand flying from under his chin.  
"What, did my birthday come early?"

Jake winced, falling to one knee as his "collar" dug into his skin, tearing at his flesh. The bastard chuckled again. "Oh, c'mon. You're smarter than that. I thought I broke your sarcasm." Jake gave him the "Sicilian Salute," once again falling to his knees. The bastard shook his finger, scoffing at him.  
"Tsk tsk, I shall get the fight out of you yet." He turned away, "Just when I thought you earned some of your dignity. Dress up. You have a little... date."  
"I know you don't have a mother for me to fuck." Jake flung his hands out, "You look the pat but I don't swing that way." He grasped the collar as his neck as it choked him. The bastard left his viewing station, releasing him. Jake reluctantly dressed in the black slacks and a burgundy dress shirt. He pulled the sleeves up, rolling them at his elbows and left the top few buttons undone. He buckled his belt, then sat to put on his boots. At least he had his trademarked suspenders again. He paced the gauntlet, wondering what was in store. He wondered if Chimerys had created something new with Manuela's blood and his own. He shook his head. Two months and already a breakthrough? Jake was no scientist but that was a little unbelievable.

A door opened than Jake had never seen before, hidden in the architecture. He hesitated. He was choked again as the familiar voice chided him. "Do not keep me waiting." Jake walked through the door, shaking his head in annoyance, a scowl on his face. He following the steps downstairs through a dark passageway, wondering how he never found this room before. He hoped it wasn't another sedative or drug trial. He was really starting to get sick of all the bullshit and mind games. He approached the only room. It was bare except for a few odd pieces of furniture; a glass-like stool, a double bed, made of the same material was in the corner, one light above him out of his reach. Jake shrugged, shaking his head. At least he earned a bed. He debated if it was worth losing his sunlight for. In China he hadn't seen the light of day for the entire six months. Here he at least had that. The song of birds was comforting. Now he was in a dark hole again.

A light lit up to his right. There was another room, separated by glass. He blinked a few times, then ran towards it, banging his fists. Sherry. He had Sherry. "Goddamn it!" He growled, banging harder. She was asleep, wearing nothing but a little blue crushed velvet cocktail length evening gown. She wasn't responding. Jake covered his mouth with his fingers, his chin on his palm. He slammed his fist on the wall again in anger. "What the fuck is this?" He paced angrily like a caged animal.  
"Are you not happy, pet? Is this not what you wanted for Christmas?" He chucked again. Jake looked for the voice but as usual, it was disembodied. "I let you open it a day early." It was already Christmas Eve? One year had passed since he met Sherry. One year since they were first imprisoned together. Jake shook his head.

"You're one sick fuck." Jake's eyes burning with hatred. "How... How long has she been here?" Jake paused before the wall again when he got no response, stroking it gently with his fingers. He walked along letting them drag, digging his nails in. His eyes never wandered from her. He thought he saw her stirring. He paused again. "Sherry..." He whispered. She seemed to whisper something but he couldn't hear her. She moved slightly. Jake fell to his knees. She was alive and she was here with him. He breathed a sigh of both relief and remorse, putting a hand to his forehead. He yelled her name in anguish, his words falling on deaf ears as he said he loved her. Sherry finally lifted her head, taking in her surroundings. Jake shook his head angrily. Something was different about her. Something was wrong. He stared at her without saying a word, expecting something to pop out and kill her, the walls to collapse, anything.

Sherry noticed him. Her eyes looked strange. The light went out in her room. Jake thumped his palms against the glass. "No... no! Bring her back." Jake Muller was begging. Jake Muller never begged. Not once in his life. He shook his head again, standing to punch the glass again. He couldn't make a single crack for the life of him. He put his head against the cold glass. He filled with sorrow at his weakness. He had failed her again.  
"So my pet, you like your new toy... I wonder, do I introduce her to the T-Veronica virus first? Or... Do I let you play with her a little?" He chuckled again. Jake scoffed, turning his face away from the wall. "Oh please, pet. Even God gave man a companion, did he not? She's the perfect recipient for the virus." The light went on in the other room again. Chimerys was on the other side. Sherry was gone.

Jake refused to show anymore weakness. Maybe if he didn't care, he would release her. He knew that wasn't true. Chimerys knew Sherry was special. He had probably already tested her blood. He pursed his lips together, feeling hopeless and empty. He raised his gaze to Chimerys. "When I get out of here..." Jake was cut short by the thorns against his neck, the vine choking him again. He refused to falter. His gaze was steady, his body trembling with resistance.  
"You are no position to threaten me... I feed you... I clothed you... I provided you shelter and... entertainment." He smiled wickedly as he continued in his monotone voice. "My beautiful creature... Do you not enjoy your playground? I thought you said you get off on the action." Jake's fingers scrambled between the vines and his throat. He pulled as hard as he could, his neck bleeding. "C'mon now, pet. I don't want you to bleed to death... Bow before your king or I'll end her."

Jake shook his head, forcing out a response as he fought for air. "No. You won't dare touch her." Chimerys smiled. He reached for his pocket. He pulled out a small case. He opened it to reveal three vials of blood.  
"I now posses the three most successful viruses... Birkin's daughter will be my personal Lisa Trevor." Jake looked at him with anger, raising his eyebrow in confusion. "Oh? Have I peeked your interest? Your pathetic fathers, Wesker and Birkin, experimented on Lisa and her mother, Jessica. They tried to escape and Jessica was killed. Lisa lived as their pet, being experimented on repeatedly. Her regenerative abilities kept her alive, her body absorbing all the viruses." He paced as he continued. Jake continued to watch him calmly, trying to formulate a plan. The damn choker finally released it's tension.

"You Jake, are immune to all the fun but Sherry... Sweet as she is, volunteered herself. She practically threw herself at my feet." He smiled, putting his hands out. "She didn't even try to resist at the doorstep." Jake pursed his lips, holding back his rage. His eyes darkened with fury. Chimerys paused, without looking at Jake. "Oh, did I strike a nerve?" He chuckled again. "Like I was saying, she is the perfect recipient. Unlike Hidalgo, Birkin will not need any organ transplants." He shook his head, "I won't have to worry about the T-Veronica virus eating her alive." He paused, turning to smile at Jake. "I will accomplish something your father always coveted. Do you know where he was after he left your mother?" He smirked. Jake bit his bottom lip, rage filling him again. He felt the collar begin to stiffen on his neck. "He was busy trying to track down Alexia Ashford, the creator and bearer of the T-Virus. She was a part of his plan to rule the world as God." He shook his finger at Jake. "I wish only to be a King and yet I have accomplished so much more." He waved his hand in the air, "You father could only dream to accomplish in his lifetime what I have done in the past six months."

"I've had enough of your shit." Jake pulled at the vine instinctively, expecting it to choke him. He tried to pry it off for the last time. Failure. He choked to the point of nearly passing out. "For fucks sake..." He growled, "Why does the villain always have to bitch about his plan. Can't you just kill me already?"  
"Oh no, Jake... You are far too entertaining. You are my favorite pet of all. Especially now that I know how dear my new plaything is to you."  
"Oh please, spare the bullshit..." Jake scoffed, trying to resist as the world spun around him.  
"Your little angel will become my queen bee. She has the potential from the G-Virus for so much. With a little tweeking, she can reproduce with anyone's DNA. She will spawn all of my minions for me. She posses the potential to create the ultimate virus. Not even you will be immune when I'm through with my plans."  
Jake shook his head and pointed at him. "You know what I don't get about psychos like you? What's the point to all this rule the world bullshit? You get the control, then what? It's not exactly fun anymore is it?"  
"Well... You never do know until you try it for yourself." He smiled at Jake. "I'll let you know when I get there. For now," He put his hands out again, "I'm just enjoying the process. It's a labor of love. Now, as I was saying... I'll let you have some entertainment for a while..." A door opened above the bed in Jake's room. Sherry fell to it with a thud. The door slammed shut behind her. He ran to her side and scooped her up into his arms.

* * *

**"Help me I Broke Apart My Insides, Help Me Get Away From Myself, I Want to Feel You From the Inside, You Are the Reason I Stay Alive" Closer, Nine Inch Nails**

Changed villain's name. Figured a code name would be better since he is a terrorist and the old name was kinda just thrown in there with intention of being changed when I picked a better one. Villain description is the same. Also fixed a minor continuity error in Chapter 28. Added a couple more jokes from 28-38. etc.

"Sherry?" Jake checked her vitals. She was alive and breathing. "C'mon, super girl..." He shook her lightly. No response. That bastard was laughing again. He sat on the bed for a long time, holding her and waiting for a response. He finally gave up, deciding it was best to let her rest. He laid her down softly on the bed, with a soft kiss on her forehead. He began to pace the room, looking for a way to get through that fucking door. That soft, annoying chuckle again. Jake smirked, "Laughter is the best medicine ain't it, fucker! Can't wait to give you a taste of your own..." Jake's words stifled from the collar. Again that fucking laugh.  
"My little pet... Want to go back to your happy hamster wheel?" Chimerys opened the door to the gauntlet. Jake paused at it for a moment, wondering if he should take Sherry to his cell. No, she was probably safer here. He turned to go back to Sherry and the collar choked harder. He pressed on until he reached her, passing out at her feet on the edge of the bed with a grunt.

Sherry woke up startled. Another nightmare? She looked around the room, barely recalling how she got here. She found herself intoxicated by the smell of apples, musk and sweet sweat. Her body swayed like a snake with the scent, thirsty for its owner. Jake. He lay at her feet, unconscious. She noticed the vine around his neck and pulled until it finally gave. She ripped it away and tore it apart, stomping it on the ground. She pulled Jake on the bed and checked his vitals. He was alive but his breathing ragged. He must have been unconscious for a while with that thing around his neck. That sick feeling of hunger overtook her as she began to kiss and suckle the blood on his neck. It threw her back into a memory.

Kidnapped in her vehicle. She vaguely remembered calling Hannagan before passing out from... ecstasy? A trance. Her vehicle was gently dropped on a remote estate somewhere. Orchards all over the property. She slowly sauntered up to the doorway and begged for Jake, moaning his name, ignoring the J'avo surrounding her. Was she so easily manipulated?

Again she entered the trance. She began to whisper his name, moaning. She slipped out of the trance, realizing she was suckling Jake's blood. His wounds were tiny on his neck but she lapped at them happily, the metalic taste on her tongue disgusted her as a person but it tasted so good. He smelt so strongly to her, so incredible. She questioned her sanity and humanity as she couldn't control herself. The wall before them was not transparent anymore. She could tell it was a two way mirror. She watched herself as she bit down near his collar bone, her breath ragged and sweat dripping from her forehead.

She tore at his clothing, her nails growing instantly long for the occassion. She gasped softly as she ran her claws through his hair. It wasn't buzzed off anymore. It was to the back of his neck. She was scratching his scalp as she shredded his shirt with her free hand, exposing his chest. She dragged her hand down as each button bounced off slowly, digging her nails in, drawing blood. "Oopse..." She exclaimed. She dragged her hand down the back of his head to his neck, lifting him to her as she bent over the bed. His head fell back and she kissed him hard and deep, watching herself in the mirror. This was sick and it was wrong. She heard someone laughing but she couldn't control herself. It was like an outer-body experience. She wanted to scream but could only hear her moans, muffled against his lips. That's when she saw it again. The glass eyes... Like the eyes of the dead.

Jake awoke, gasping in pain. He was laying in the bed. Someone hovered above him, blocking out the dim light above. A woman... Her voice was rumbling as she softly moaned his name with desperation. She was clawing his neck and his chest. He looked down at her hands, crying out as she continued to draw blood and shred his clothing. He was almost afraid to look at her. He looked up slowly. Sherry. Only, something was defiantly wrong. Her beautiful blue-grey eyes were dead. He pushed her away roughly as he sat up with a look of fear and confusion in his eyes. She fell on her ass, hands flailing as she hit the glass behind her. She moaned softly, her voice echoing lightly. Jake looked around the room, ripping off his torn shirt. The wall was now glass. He pounded on it.

"What the fuck did you do to her!" He pounded again. "Answer me!" His hands instinctively went to his throat to hold back the vine. It was gone. His neck bled lightly. He slid his hand down to the pain on his collar. It felt like bite marks. All he heard was the chuckling again.  
"You can go without your collar for now dog..." a pause, "I'll let you get away with it tonight... If it entertains her." Jake shot a glance at Sherry. She was wavering back and forth like a snake, sniffing the air. She began to call his name again, whispering softly with that otherworldly voice, gasping and moaning as she sniffed the air. She rubbed her thighs together and started to touch her curves. Jake had a look of deep disgust on his face. He paced the room, shaking his head occasionally while pinching his nose bridge with his fingers, not knowing what to do.

"Like I said," Chimerys chuckled, "she was begging to be here." The mirror turned to glass again. He was pacing the other side. "It appears that her virus is mutating. It's responding to you somehow. I will have to run tests to research it... This may prove rather interesting." Jake slumped down the wall, watching Sherry squirm from the corner of her eye. She appeared to be blind as she felt around the room for him, sniffing the air and moaning his name. "Hmmm... Maybe that's why Birkin grew an eye out of his arm..." Sherry's father? She did say he had mutated beyond recognition. No... Jake wouldn't allow this to happen to Sherry. "I was planning on killing you once I had her but now that you are a little beacon that keeps her happy... and a reason for her to breed without encouragement, I'll keep you around..." Jake banged on the glass but it just turned back to a mirror.

He was dragged to the floor. Sherry. Why did he take his eyes off of her? She ripped his pant leg as he fought to get away, trying not to harm her. He wouldn't play this sick game. He had to wake her up somehow. She lunged at him flipping him over as he crawled away. She straddled him and dug her nails into his shoulders. He held her by her shoulders as he fought against her strength. "Sherry, I know you are in there." He spoke slowly with aggression as he stared into her dead eyes, "Wake the fuck up."


	9. The hunger within pt 2 of 3

**"Even Through the Darkest Phase, Here Beneath My Skin Constant Craving Has Always Been." Constant Craving, k.d. Lang**

"Sherry!?" He called her name again. She answered with a reverberating hiss as she fought him with all of her strength. She licked again at his neck, her tongue barely stroking his sweet skin. He felt fear and excitement at the same time. The situation was so disturbing to him and obscene. What he didn't understand was why she hadn't tried to kill like a J'avo? She bit him, that was true but she barely drew his blood. He searched her glazed, glass eyes for answers to any question he had.

"Jake..." She sighed as she kissed his lips, biting him. She licked his lips and lifted her head, her chin jutting forward as she stared him down. Their chins were nearly touching as they shared breaths. She bared her teeth a little, hissing above him, cocking her head at him. She hissed again as she plunged down to kiss him violently, forcing her tongue between his lips as their teeth gnashed together. He tried to fight her again, shaking his head as she lowered herself upon his clothed lap. Her pelvis and hips ground into his as he fought her, trying to hold back the sadistic pleasure of her movements. She whispered in his ear as she pinned his hands above his head. "I'm just getting started..." His eyes widened as she licked his ear lobe, tracing down to his neck. She bit his neck at the shoulder, ignoring his cries of pain and pleas to stop.

She was able to keep him pinned with her one hand and forearm as she continued. He had no idea where she got the strength. "Listen you crazy bitch..." He spat the words out between gasps of pain and pleasure. Goddamn it woman, I am not a fucking gigolo." He cried out again as she bit him, licking the blood she drew. "Fuck! Not one night of this shit." He shook his head, trying to pull away from her. "Not even for fifty fucking million..." His words cut short with another cry as she ripped his pants at the crotch. He squirmed beneath her fearfully. "This is not my fucking bris you crazy bitch!"

She chuckled at him, smiling sadistically. "You will father our offspring..." Her nails grew, scratching his wrist. "Then they will feed upon your flesh." Jake had just about as much as he could stand. He thought Sherry said the G-Virus would implant embryos into people with compatible DNA by shoving an appendage down the victims throat. What the fuck was this shit? Some new drug Chimerys constructed? A mutation in her virus? Was this even Sherry? He pursed his lips in annoyance, then kicked his legs in the air, flipping her over his head towards the wall. She smashed into it with a loud thus as she hit the pseudo-glass. She fell on her head with a large popping sound that was most likely her neck. Jake scrambled to his feet, striking a martial arts pose as he spun to face her.

"What did I do?" He hadn't realized how much force he had used to repel her. He scooped Sherry up in his arms. Her head flopped backward like a rag doll as he lifted her. He rested her on the bed then stared at his blood covered hand. A trail of blood leading to the bed. He checked her vitals. She was alive. Jake slunk down the wall on the other end of the bed. Tears began to well in his eyes but he fought them back. He didn't know how much damage Sherry's body could recover from. At this point, even if she did recover, what about her mind? "Bitch gone crazy on me..." He pinched his nose bridge and leaned his head against the cold glass behind him.

Chimerys' chuckling rumbled through the room. Jake ignored it, pretending he couldn't hear it as it cut through his thoughts. Jake would have given anything for Sherry to not be here. He should have abandoned his mission with Sheva and left her to fend on her own. He shouldn't have called Sherry for help. Why did she come? Chimerys said she threw herself at his feet. "What the fuck did I do to her?" He shook his head and rubbed his hand up his face, fingers stroking his forehead and then running through his now too long for comfort her. He sighed as he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, wishing he was miles away from here. He groaned, closing his eyes for a long moment. He opened them again and they instinctively landed on Sherry's incapacitated body. He sighed, trying to still his pulsing heart and ragged breath. He loved the girl and now somehow lead her to this bullshit. "What the fuck do I do..."

"You play my little game..." Chimerys, "Maybe then I'll let you have your nice cell back with your wonderful sunlight." He chuckled, "Maybe you can keep your clothes this time and enjoy a warm bed." A long pause. Jake could barely hide his anger. Vines sprouted from the floor, slinking towards Jake. "I can always unburden your sight..." Jake refused to struggle as the vines latched on, their thorns cutting into his skin as they restrained him. Some wrapped around his face, a hair's width from Jake's eyes. Some slunk out to Sherry. "If you prefer, I could just, remove her from your presence for now... Finishing my work? Though, I find this greatly entertaining."

Jake struggled against the vines as Sherry was drug toward the gauntlet door, blood trailing from where her head had hit the glass. The trail slowly came to a halt as she healed, nearing the steps. "Stop!" Jake cried out. "I'll do what you want..." He shook his head. "Please, don't do this to her. Experiment on me all you want, just anything but Sherry." The vines released her. The glass turned from mirrors to reveal Chimerys again. His eyebrow raised with curiosity, a smirk curling his lips.  
"I've already tested the virus on you, my loyal little pet. You are immune. As I said, I'd dispose of you if you weren't so entertaining." Jake shook his head with anger as he was raised to face Chimerys.  
"I submit." Jake spat the words out with anger in his tone. His eyes glistened with hatred. The vines dropped him six feet to the floor. Chimerys chucked, gesturing with his hands.  
"Now? How hard was that to do?" He turned around, walking away as the lights turned off in the other room. The glass turned back into mirrors. "I will be seeing you around..."

* * *

**"All I Wanna Do is Love You, I Still Can't Say it After All We've Been Through and I Will Find a Way to You If It Kills Me" If It Kills Me, Jason Mraz**

Awkward silence was something Jake had become fond of with Sherry. It was a lingering presence that defined the majority of their relationship. It followed them on the battle field, in moments of joy, loss, weakness, understanding, regret... They learned to first tolerate and then like one another because of those moments. Jake thought back to when he had first lost Sherry. Ustanak had knocked her unconscious and he didn't know if she was alive or dead for six months while they were imprisoned. This time he knew she was live and yet it was so much worse. The silence was just a reminder of more bullshit to come.

Sherry stirred before him again. Her eyes their beautiful blue. Jake smiled softly. Had she returned? She groaned softly as she stirred on the bed. "Finally." Jake startled her and she sat up to stare at him. "I guess that knocked some sense into you." He was happy that she wasn't paralyzed yet he kept his distance.  
"Jake?" Sherry smiled warmly, her big blue eyes beaming with happiness. She jumped off of the bed and ran to him, diving to her knees as she threw her arms around his chest. "Oh god, are you really alive? Am I still dreaming?" She inhaled his scent deeply, squishing him against his will. He didn't return the gesture. Sherry's heart sank.  
"Jake... What's wrong with..." He cut her off.  
"Sherry. This is no dream." He forced her off of him as soon as she loosened her grip on him. He shook his head at her. "Stay away from me."

Her big eyes welled up with tears. It broke Jake's heart to see her like that. He turned away. She tried to touch his face, her hand instinctively tracing the line of his scar. He shuddered and hissed as if she had burned him. She hesitated for a moment, then pulled her hand away. "Oh god Jake... Did I...?" She reached this time for his bare chest, noticing all the bites at his neck, shoulder, chest and collar. Deep scratches were all over his arms and chest. His pants were torn in all sorts of placed.

"Oh god no..." She shook her head, pulling her hand away. His face had grown a natural beard and mustache. She noticed his hair was longer, a natural part running through it near the center. It was nearly to his shoulders and pulled out of the way, a few locks over his ears. She wanted to brush it out of the way with her fingers, wanting to look into those deep blue eyes she longed for. "Jake..." She whispered his name. She looked at herself in the blue dress, wondering what had happened. Her nails were three inches long and dripping with blood. She saw a trail leading from behind Jake to the doorway at her left.

"Sherry." He interrupted her thoughts. She snapped her head around to face him but he wouldn't look at her. "Something's happened to you." He shook his head, "I mean, besides us being kidnapped." He stared at the blood trail that he had caused. Sherry's blood trail. He took a deep breath and sighed. He spoke softly, looking for answers. "Sherry... How long have you been here? What the fuck did Chimerys do?" Sherry hesitated, searching her memory for answers. it was all so cloudy. She shook her head. "Sherry... That hesitation usually means you are lying..." He looked her in the eyes. "Or I should say, withholding information on a need to know basis." She put her hands up and shook her head.  
"Jake. I swear... I don't remember anything." She turned her eyes away, unable to face his burning stare. "Where are we?" He continued to stare at her coldly, his voice becoming angry.  
"You tell me?"

"Jake... You... You died..." Her eyes swelled with tears, unable to hold them back for any longer. "You burned... In my hands. You, you..." She collapsed to the floor, burying her face in her folded arms as she sobbed bitterly. "Oh god, Jake... I saw your ashes form into a Chrysalid but I couldn't do anything. Someone dragged me away and I spent two months recovering." She held out one of her hands before her own eyes, remembering the deep third degree burns in her flesh caused by their embrace. Jake watched her with wide eyes. He searched his mind for the truth. He remembered everything in the mission including that kiss. Everything between that and when he woke up naked was a mystery.

"Sherry," He sighed, "...I'm sorry for doubting you. He must have used some sort of drug to fuck us up. I don't even know where we are." She crawled forward a few steps. "Stop." He put his hands out, begging. "It's too dangerous." Sherry was shocked. More tears streamed down her face. "Look, super girl. I don't need whatever he did to you coming out again. That crazy bitch needs to be stopped." Sherry shook her head, shocked.  
"What are you talking...?" She trailed off, stopping mid sentence. "The calling... The dreams?" The glass, dead eyes. The hunger as she fed on his blood, enjoying the sick sight of herself. She gasped, covering her mouth. She began to cry again. "Oh god, Jake... What... What am I?"  
"No idea," he shook his head as he rubbed his wounds, "but I'm not getting close enough again to find out." He sighed, "Listen share bear, there's a crazy bastard hybrid of Weskers with some sort of inferiority complex breaking the balls. He's watching every fucking thing we do. Please... Just stay away from me."

Sherry's heart was breaking. She was holding herself up on her forearms as she burst into tears, trying to hold them back. This was just too much. The hunger lead her to Jake. He was alive. She let it take advantage, let it twist her into something inhuman. Now she was a danger to him. "Jake, how do I stop it? How are we going to get out of here?" He shook his head.  
"There's more." He met her gaze again with his soft blue eyes, filled with tears of his own. "We better figure out a way out... fast. This guy is one sick fuck. He plans on using Manuela's virus on you." Sherry's eyes went wide. She didn't know how much abuse her body could take. It took her two months to heal from her last mission when Jake had died. Now her virus was raging uncontrollably. She began to pant. "Easy, super girl..." He held his hands up in surrender, "He doesn't know what triggered your virus until he experiments..." He shook his head, "I don't want you to be afraid, babe. Maybe he will spill his guts and say how to stop this if we play along."

Sherry shook her head at him. "I... I don't think I can go through with this..." She was staring at the floor, breathing heavily. He cupped her face with his hands and tilted her up to face him.  
"I can't find a way out and I can't protect either of us." It hurt to admit such weakness to her. He wanted to protect her. he wanted to hold her and tell her it would be okay and they'd get out of this unscathed. It would be a total lie. He pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he breathed in her breaths, nose to nose with his love. "Sherry, we will make it through this. I completely understand from all the shit he's done to me and all the things in China... Maybe if you can distract him with the testing, just this once... I just... I..." Jake snapped his eyes open instinctively. "Sherry!?"

It was too late. Her eyes were dead as she sighed a reverberated hiss. "I hunger for your flesh..." She whispered, her head cocked playfully with a smile on her lips. She pushed him down once more, biting into his shoulder before he could react. Jake cried out in pain. Sherry licked up his neck, not caring at all. She lunged backwards onto his knees, shredding his pants and scratching his skin as she raked her fingers over his thighs and hips. Jake cocked his head. He shook it with frustration. He pointed at her as his eyes narrowed with anger.  
"I've had enough of your shit, super bitch. You want me so fucking bad?" He taunted her as he gestured with his hand. "Come get some."

* * *

**"And I'm so confused, So hard to choose. Between the pleasure and the pain. And I know it's wrong, and I know it's right. Even if I try to win the fight, my heart would overrule my mind. And I'm not strong enough to stay away" Not strong enough, Apocalyptica**

Jake knew he couldn't hurt Sherry. He had promised himself that he wouldn't take Sherry's innocence with all the shit she had been through in her life. Now he would keep that vow, even if it killed him. He threw her off, kicking her up in the air again. She twisted herself in the air. He jumped to his feet in a crouching position. He spun to give her a sweep kick but Sherry was faster. She grabbed his head and pulled him backwards before he could turn, slamming his head into the ground. She smiled wickedly, another breathy vibrating sigh, humming softly that little lullaby Jake liked to whistle.

Jake lay motionless, stunned for a moment, coming to his senses. Sherry leaned in and kissed him softly while she ran her fingers along his suspenders, stroking his hard muscled chest. She kissed him hard with a moan, digging her nails in and pulling her hands back towards herself. He grabbed her hands and pulled, using the momentum to flip over her. He tries to hook his thighs over her body, hooking his knees behind hers. She shrieked and leaped up, reversing his move. She kicked her feet out into the splits, pushing off him with her hands, and leaped on his back. She kicked off of him and somersaulted in the air. Jake fell on his face. He was not amused. She chuckled at him. "Wiskers, I thought you were a man who could keep up," G growled, "Pathetic!"

She leaped to straddle his back. Jake gave her a roundhouse kick as he rolled on his back, sending her flying backwards. He leaped on top of her, restraining her wrists. She bit him hard but he held on, his blood draining into her mouth. She licked at it greedily. Her eyes began to clear, the life coming back into them. Sherry began to pant and whimper in pain. "Jake... I'm so sorry." He released her but she grabbed his hands, pulling him on top of her. Sherry pulled his hands to her throat. "Kill me. Please." Jake stared at her in shock. Her eyes were wide with fear, her lips trembling. "Please... Before 'G' takes over." Jake shook his head, trying to pry his hands from her throat. She hooked her legs around his hips, refusing to let go. "Jake. It's me. Please. I'd rather die than hurt you."

Her tears flowed freely, barely able to make out Jake's image in them as they stung. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment to long as usual. Jake pressed his forehead to hers, sharing breaths again. He kissed her softly, trying to pull his hands away to embrace her but she tugged him back to her throat. He released himself from her lips, shaking his head. "I won't do it, Sherry..." They stared at each other nose to nose.  
"Jake..." His smell was intoxicating her. She wanted to taste him again. The burning fever rising in her body with each passing moment. "You have to. Her eyes wavered back and forth as she watched his eyes fill with tears.  
"No. I already told him I'd surrender. Not to him, Sherry. I surrender to you." He kissed her with more passion than ever before. She pushed him away, knocking him to the floor. Her face was angry but Jake knew better. He knew that look in her eyes, giving away her true feelings; nostalgic fear.

She felt it taking over again. "G" That was what they had called her father when he transformed. The G-Virus was one of the first combinations with Progenerator. Unlike T-Virus zombies, the g-virus made users keep or increase intelligence, regenerate damaged tissues and reproduce with those compatible. Sherry was given the antidote but the virus continued to change and mutate inside of her. All of her testing as a prisoner and victim of the US government never predicted this. She needed a cure and fast.

"I'm not doing this Sherry. Look," He pointed at her, "I can't find a way to escape. Maybe if he takes you to his lab..." He trailed off as Sherry pressed herself to the wall, shaking her heard before slinking down, covering her ears.  
"No! I... I can't. I'm afraid... I'm losing control... Please." She fell to the floor, shrieking madly. "Make it stop! Jake! Kill me now... I can't hold her anymore..." She cried out his name once more, her voice changing to that sickly echo.

"Goddamn it..." Jake ran to the bed and pulled it out, jumping behind it. He cocked his head, shaking it. "Not this time bitch." He flipped it to it's side, then kicked it forward, tearing the sheet off in the process. He tore it quickly into two lengthwise then quickly rolled the two lengths before Sherry threw the bed back at him. He leaped up, barely dodging it, then kicked off the wall to pounce on her. Success. He wrestled with all of his strength to bind her hands and feet. He pulled the rope up from her feet, hogtying her. He pulled the ropes up from her hands, pulling it between her lips, securing her jaw, then joining it with the other knots. "I dunno who the fuck G is but bring super girl back." He lowered himself to a crouch, staring down the beast with the pale dead eyes. "Sherry, if you can hear me... I'm so sorry." He lifted her and took her to the mattress which was now on the floor and laid her down gently. "I promised I wouldn't let anyone hurt you but we need a way out. At least we have each other this time." He stroked her blonde bangs out of her face, giving her a sweet kiss on the forehead. "We'll figure a way out, super girl."

Jake lay quietly in solitude for the first time in two months, wondering where the crazy bastard took off to. Not one applause or chuckle. The room was eerily quiet. He debated giving into the wicked temptress that lay on the bed across from him. Perhaps then he could free Sherry of this new found curse of her virus. He shook his head. No... Not without her consent. He wasn't that kind of guy, even in this situation. It was the right thing to do but giving into "G?" It felt so wrong to him, so dirty, especially with that pervert hanging around.

He sighed, pinching his nose bridge as he let his head tilt back to rest against the wall. Sherry would consent if he hadn't made the promise to not be his father, to not take a girls innocence and ditch her. There had to be another way. Yet... It seemed so right to love her completely. Jake knew they couldn't be together, no matter the odds. He wasn't giving up on her or on them. It was just reality. He would always be chased by crazy groups like this guy's and it would always endanger Sherry. However he became a 'beacon' to her and he had to stop it.

* * *

**"Hello, Hello. Anybody Out There? Cause I Don't Hear a Sound. Alone, Alone. I Don't Really Know Where the World is but I Miss it Now. I'm Out on the Edge and I'm Screaming my Name Like a Fool at the Top of My Lungs. Sometimes When I Close My Eyes I Pretend I'm Alright But it's Never Enough. Cause My Echo, Echo Is the Only Voice Coming Back. Shadow, Shadow Is the Only Friend That I Have. Listen, Listen I Would Take a Whisper if That's All You Had to Give But it isn't, is it? You Could Come and Save Me and Try to Chase the Crazy Right Out of My Head. I Don't Wanna be Island, I Just Wanna Feel Alive and Get to See Your Face Again But 'til Then... Just My Echo, My Shadow. You're My Only Friend" Echo, Jason Walker**

Jake awoke beside Sherry... or G... He didn't know which but the body of his love was beside him on the mattress, still hogtied from the night or day before. He couldn't tell time anymore in this shitty basement hellhole. He had slept on the ground, offering her the luxuries of the pillow and bed. His body ached from all the fighting he had endured. He had become accustom to waking with pain and fatigue but witnessing his love a foot away made it easier and harder at the same time. Just when he had begun to lose hope, here she was... and wasn't.

The sight of her reminded him of what he had fought for since China. He was fighting for the future after she gave him a reason to live. He would undo what their fathers achieved, a world of chaos, using the very gifts they had inherited. Most of all, he was fighting for her. A future where she wouldn't be afraid anymore. Where they wouldn't be hunted, imprisoned, used and treated like monsters. This was his greatest wish. He would fight for his woman and he would fight to prove himself worthy of her love in his own eyes.

She stirred, whimpering lightly against her restrains. He could see the remnants of blood on the white sheets he had retrained her with. He sat up and walked over to the wall, whistling a tune from his childhood. Deja vu... He slunk to the wall, watching her squirm under the light sheet from his new position. He shook scoffed and shook his head. The familiar chuckle was still not where to be heard. He stared up at the dim light above their heads, his gaze settling on the trap door above. It was much to high to reach. He made several attempts the night before.

He noticed a table with food below the door now. He whistled his tune again as he went to the two plates of breakfast before him. He gently took the two trays and laid them before the mattress. Biting into an apple, he untied the restraint from Sherry's jaw before siting before her again. No matter who it was this time behind those closed eyelids, Sherry's body needed nutrition and fluids. He put the apple down and lifted the glass cautiously, reaching his hand for her chin to pull her up for a drink. She hissed softly, lifting her eyes to a half hood. In this lighting he couldn't see if it was Sherry or G. He breathed in a sigh, hesitating, then lifted the glass to her lips. She accepted the drink, closing her eyes as she gulped it down.

"That's a girl..." He whispered softly, glad that she didn't resist. "G?" He asked softly, "Sherry?" No answer. He put the glass down and fed her while he ate. Her half glossed eyes came to rest on him as she hungrily took the food from his fork. He smiled softly. Even if she was G he couldn't help but feel love for her. Sherry had to be in there and he would need to find her somehow, even if it killed him. "Please, super girl. You have to win... For me. I can't live knowing you aren't in the world." His eyes welled with tears. "I need you." He paused, giving her more food as he searched his heart. "Even if I can't have you." He shook his head, talking to himself like a madman. Whoever was in there, there was no personality right now. She must have been fighting for her humanity. The only answers from her lips was the continued hissing.

The meal ended before a long, drawn out silence of Jake lost in his thoughts and Sherry sleeping on the bed. He stoked her hair gently, fighting back tears. "You know... Before I met you? I didn't even know who I was anymore... You won that battle for me." He watched her face, remembering the strange from those marble eyes, a soft smile full of hope touching his lips at the thought she could return to normalcy. "We can't give up, no matter the odds." He watched the light again, his voice soft and rumbling as he touched his bearded face and long hair, the broken shadow of the man he once was. "Now that you're with me, I know we can make it through anything. So long as we're together. We will find a way." He whispered to himself. "We have to."

Sherry stirred, whimpering his name. It startled him from his nap. He crept up to her quietly, wondering who it was this time. "Jake..." She called him again, tears rolling from her blue-grey eyes. It was Sherry.  
"I'm here, super girl." He whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her protectively like he could wish her out of this crazy place.  
"Jake... I'm so sorry." She closed her eyes, letting the tears flow freely from her heart. "I can see everything but I can't control her..." She raised her eyes to his soft gaze.  
"I know, super girl..." He kissed her softly, hoping to not arouse the beast within her. "Sherry, you are not a monster... It's not your fault so please, stop apologizing."  
"No, it is." Sherry shook her head, staring at the bare floor ahead of her. "When you died, we were impaled with metal. I had tried to protect you but... It was too much. My blood drained into you and for a moment, I hoped it could heal you." She sobbed softly between her sentences as she searched her memory. "Jake, I saw you die but... After my blood ran into you. It must have triggered something in my virus." She raised her gaze to meet him again, snuggling into his bare chest. "Jake, I... Your blood. I tainted you. I haven't had a blood match to myself. I saw your file, we have the same blood type. I need some sort of vaccine again... Maybe they can make it from our blood when we get out of here. Until then..." He muffled her words with a soft kiss.  
"Until then I can handle the crazy bitch you've become." He smiled warmly, stroking her hair. He pondered removing the restraints which had loosened through the night. "Are you uncomfortable? I only restrained you so I wouldn't have to hurt you." Sherry shook her head.  
"I'm, I'm fine... Don't let me hurt you again, please..." Jake scoffed, then softly returned his gaze to her.

"Sherry... I can handle G... Maybe if I just submit, maybe you can gain control over her again. Obviously my blood doesn't control her for long enough but I did notice when she... you... ingest my blood, she goes away for a short while." He shook his head. "Sherry, I need you to consent to me."  
"Jake... No... We can't give into this game of his. Chimerys want's this from us..." She looked up at him with fear and understanding. She loved him so much but to see him breaking down like this, watching the battle behind his eyes play out on his face. He stood up looked away from her, pacing the room. His hand came to rest on the glass, his head touching the glass for a moment, before he turned his back to the wall and slunk down to face her. The color of his eyes enhanced by the light as he stared up at it, speaking to the silence in the room.

"Sherry... I see no other way. If you want to get out of here alive, you need to focus on finding an exit." He shook his head, "You are my only hope to escape. This may be our only chance." He shook his head again, lost in his own thoughts, then dropped it to his chest, pulling a leg up and wrapping his arms around it with a sigh. "We need to control G if you want to get out of here. I don't want you to be a guinea pig ever again. This guy says he will make you his 'Lisa Trevor,' some girl our fathers experimented on." His eyes were full of tears as he met her gaze. She looked away knowingly without a comment. "I thought you'd know who she was." The room fell into an awkward silence. Sherry pursed her eyes shut, shaking her head.

"Jake..." She whispered, "I won't let you do it. I know the man you are. You are not your father and we know what this relationship is." She looked at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry I complicated us." She closed her eyes once more, thinking of the passion they almost shared the day before she hoped on a plane back to the States, leaving him alone in Edonia. She basically threw herself at him and he would have accepted if not for what his own father had done to his mother. Before that when Sherry's world was breaking down at the realization that her father had impregnated her against her will as a child with the G virus, the memories flooding back after a battle with a particular J'avo, Jake had told her not to love him. Jake had taught her that she was worthy of love and her body wasn't a dirty science experiment. Despite her curse, she was human, she was beautiful, she was worthy of love. He had said he was just not worthy of her love. He left her then, asking her not to come to the hospital when he was to draw his blood for the cure. They left without real goodbyes. Their last goodbye, he died in her arms and she couldn't bear to live with herself anymore. She finally found him and it lead to this? Was the world so poisoned that the love between a man and woman could decide the fate of the world.

She pursed her eyes shut as she felt the fire begin to burn within her again. "Jake... I can't hold her much longer." She looked at him, wanting to remember his image in case this was the last time she would ever be human. She took in every detail, his deep, blue, smoldering eyes, his thin brows that shadowed them, every muscle on his strong frame... The line that traced along his cheek that she had kissed so many times and slapped only once. The dark red hair that covered his head and ears, shadowed on his face, framing those full, seductive lips. She would consent to him in any situation but this. It wasn't right and yet... She would not be able to control herself when G took over. "Jake... Whatever happens. I can't help it. I love you..." She whispered as her tears flowed and her eyes changed. She heard him call her name, his red hair stroking her face gently as they shared breaths, his voice so far away. It faded into obscurity as G took over.

* * *

**"When you put your arms around me, I get a fever that's so hard to bear. He gives me fever, With his kisses, Fever when he holds me tight. Fever, I'm his Misses" Fever, Madonna**

**Warning. Lime Alert. You have been warned.**

Jake pulled Sherry in for one last kiss, his hair softly brushing her face as he kissed her. He opened them softly at the same time as Sherry... Not Sherry... G. She smiled wickedly at him. "Hello lover... " He startled away from her, sitting up before the beast. She grunted against the loosening restraints. "Ooh... I love it when you're kinky... Just makes me want you more." She continued to fight them as Jake paced the room, actually longing for that crazy man to say something and interrupt the situation. Maybe if Jake allowed her to be experimented on, Sherry could come back and he wouldn't have to... "No." He shook his head, "We never get that lucky, do we."

He banged his fist on the glass. How could everything they accomplished come to this? He had enough of wrestling with himself. He had to make a decision soon. He knew he loved Sherry but did he love her enough to set her free against her will. Would it even work or would he just be another asshole that abused her body to the fullest. He banged his palm repeatedly, growling. This was not his decision to make, it was hers and she said no. What was he to do but dance with the devil in the blue dress all night long? To bring Sherry to her breaking point, weaken her against resisting, only to lose her to the T-Veronica virus by morning? She had no chance of freedom if she couldn't focus on a way out. She had to be conscious in the lab. It was the only way. His palm started to bleed, his skin crackling from his own strength. He made a fist and watched as his blood poured in small droplets to the ground from the small cracks in his flesh.

"Jake..." She smiled, calling him behind his back. He could feel her gaze boring down on him. "You're still here." He ignored her. "Come to me, my love..." Her voice wavered as she tried to hide her vibrato.  
"No..." Jake shook his head, closing them. "Don't speak to me in her voice... Please..." He opened his eyes and watched her from the mirror. Even in this form, Sherry was so stunningly beautiful. He wanted her so badly. He remembered she said she could see everything that happened to her in this form but couldn't control herself. "You aren't her... So please, save it for someone who gives a shit." He closed his eyes for only a moment. He opened them to his horror, catching her slip from the restraints in the corner of his eyes. He reluctantly spun around to face her.

Sherry was so much stronger in this form. He had lied to her. He could barely control G. With all his training and the strength of the C-Virus in his veins, she just seemed to get stronger every time he had to face her. He had barely gotten away the last time. Soon this decision wouldn't be his to make. He loved Sherry and his body ached for her. There was no way this beast could take that need for her out of him, even against his will G'd have her way with him sooner or later, against his will. She would follow him to the ends of the Earth, already leading Sherry here, into danger.

He stood frozen, trying to convince himself to surrender as G slunk up to him, baring her teeth and nails. She suddenly moved quickly, almost as quickly as Chimerys, seeming to teleport before him. Her voice rumbled as she cocked her head, running a nail against his throat and up to his jaw. "You really stayed to be with me?" She eyes his scar, kissing his jawline. "So beautiful yet so haunted... Tell me, Wiskers." She hissed briefly, meeting her gaze with his stoic expression. "Who do you love? Your Sherry Birkin... Or wicked little me?" He forced himself to keep his gaze, refusing to back down, contemplating his sanity. She kissed his chest, biting as she tasted him. "I know I excite you..." She reached her hands down to his hips, then brushed her fingers over his pants. "You can't lie..." Jake shivered against her touch.  
"You aren't her, psycho bitch." He shook his head. She pushed him against the wall, pleasure twinkling in those dead eyes. He winced slightly but refused to show his pain and fair, staring her petite frame down.  
"I'm not stupid, Muller. I will have you to myself." She drew blood from his shoulders as she dug in her skin, trying not to give into the temptation to feast upon his blood. She kissed his chest again, suckling his nipples. "I will convince you that it's me you want, one way or another..." Jake smirked, pretending to show interest.

"Sure... I want you, G..." He cocked his head, lowing his voice. "Out of my girl's body!" He sighed, coming to a decision. "Fine. I'll submit, only because I know this will have a happy ending. I won't have to see your crazy ass again." She smiled at him, laughing as she unbuckled his belt, grasping it in her hands then pulling his hips against hers. He learned back against the cold glass wall, his palms supporting him as he pushed his back and head against it.  
"Oh... Is that how it ends?" She smiled as she kissed his neck, "You had better hope so." She kissed him hard, holding back the urge to bite his lip. Jake tried not to enjoy it but the truth was, she excited him.

Sherry was so soft and sweet when she kissed him. Her lips always played softly against his before begging for him to surrender. There was so much passion behind those soft, blue eyes of hers. This was different. He couldn't even pretend it was Sherry. She forced herself upon him, tearing his previously shredded pants off as she scraped her nails against his already scabbing skin, reopening the wounds from the day before as she went to her knees. He hissed as her nails stung, fighting through the thin line between pain and pleasure as she licked him in places Sherry had never ventured. He was both terrified of what she would do and excited. "You're being such a good little boy..." She cocked her head, staring up into his intense eyes. "What happened to that badass I love so much?" She chuckled as she dug her nails into his ass and dragged them down his legs, drawing blood. His hips shuddered against her lips as she licked him again, enticing his manhood with her mouth once more. She nipped him softly with her teeth. He growled lightly, turning away from her. "Have I really taken all the fight out of you?" She pulled him between her lips and he grunted against her.

"Just get this over with." He scoffed, refusing to face her. G smiled as she flicked her tongue against him, pulling off slowly as she twisted it against him.  
"Are you not enjoying me?" She narrowed her eyes with a smile, "Liar... Admit it... Your little angel wasn't good enough for this. She wouldn't dream of doing such things to you." She bit his hip gently, suckling along his hip bones.  
"Is that what you think?" He finally faced her, taking in the view. She had already slipped her dress off of her shoulders. It hung around her hips, sprawling around the floor. He teared his eyes away, hiding both his disgust and excitement. He sighed, staring up at the light in the room. "The truth is, she's too good for me." He shook his head. "I'll never been good enough."

G smiled up again at him again, a wickedness tainting the almost genuine expression. "Good thing I'm good enough for you." She moaned as she continued to work him over. He pushed her away, his hands running through her hair as he met her gaze.  
"Please... Just get this over with." His gaze danced between her eyes, taking in the softness of her face, wishing G was really Sherry. "Please... I'll do what you ask, just don't drag it out anymore." He scooped her up in his arms and took her over to the bed, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. He slid his hands up her skirt, hesitating. He had to do this, to save Sherry. He didn't want to but the choice was no longer his. "I don't want this to last longer than it has to." G bent her head back, propping herself up on her elbows, expecting a kiss. Jake shook his head. He turned her over onto her stomach and slid her panties off. "You don't move and you don't talk, got it?" He cocked his head, unable to say anything comical for once in his life. "This is just business."

* * *

**"Nothing's Right, I'm Torn. I'm All Out of Faith. This is How I Feel. I'm Cold and I am Shamed Lying Naked on The Floor. Illusion Never Changed into Something Real. I'm Wide Awake and I Can See the Perfect Sky is Torn" Torn, Natalie Imbrulia**

**Lemon Alert. Don't like it? Don't read it.**

Jake slid his hands up her long legs, feeling her muscles contract with pleasure below his touch. He he hesitated before pulling her soft blue dress up over her back. He wanted to take in Sherry's beauty, remembering the sweet curves of her tight little body in the locker room in China. The old Jake would have taken her then and there, on the run or not, had his mind not been preoccupied with guilt over his life and disgust with the knowledge of his father.

Sherry broke his stone heart and could draw his feelings like spilling blood. She made him soft. No, she made him human. He wasn't just a drifter anymore, staying alive just for the memory of his mother and a chance to meet his father, no. He now had a new purpose, a new life, every moment with her made him feel more alive. Yet it had come down to this. Without her consent yet he had no choice but to save her by doing the one thing he promised himself he wouldn't. At least G kept her word to shut the fuck up. If she taunted him now, any ounce of pride he had left under his stoic disguise would crumble into a heap of tears.

G arched her back with anticipation, beckoning him to lose control. He shook his head to himself, disgusted with the task at hand, yet he couldn't hide his arousal. He wanted Sherry for so long but never like this. This was not love. This was just business. He had to keep reminding himself as he played along. He finally slid the dress up her back, then his hands gently followed back down to her panties. He pulled them down with his teeth, unable to hold himself back. He could smell her sex and it drove him wild. As much as he knew this was not Sherry, he couldn't help himself.

He licked his was up to her sex, hesitating momentarily, lost between his thoughts and her thighs. Sherry had thrown herself at him before, how was this any different? He knew deep down she had wanted this. He wanted to introduce her to his blood again, to wake her up from G but he knew she wouldn't consent in this situation. Sherry wanted to make love and she deserved it, too. He had to save her even if it meant betraying her.

G hissed in pleasure as he warmed her sex, exciting her greedily with his tongue. She hissed his name in pleasure. He paused, his hands grabbing her ass. "I told you to shut the fuck up. You aren't the one I love."

G had killed the moment for him. He had convinced himself he would be gentle and loving. He would take her the way Sherry would have wanted her first time to be. The reminder that this was G pissed him off. He reverted into his black heart, uncaring as it was when he was a mercenary. This was not Sherry and he would not be gentle. He wouldn't give this bitch the satisfaction of his love. This would not be love. Only Sherry deserved love and if she still loved him after this, he would give himself freely.

He placed his hands roughly at her hips and pulled her back onto his lap. He entered her without hesitation, hearing her cry out with pleasure as she squirmed against him. Her back arched as she braced herself, looking back behind Jake to watch their forms in the mirrored glass. He grunted as he pushed his weight into her violently, trying to make her give into her pleasure. He slid his hands roughly up her body, cupping her breasts. She fell to her forearms, her cheeks against the mattress as he picked up the pace. She straddled his hips, trying to join his movements with her own.

Jake grabbed her by the hair. She arched her back as he pulled her to him, grabbing her roughly by the hips and pulling her into his lap. "I said not to move. Now you broke both of my rules." He watched their forms in the mirror as he but into her shoulder. Her perky nipples poking out from the dress that sprawled around her exposed sex. He almost enjoyed watching her suffer in pain and pleasure as he dug his nails into her body, dragging them down her petite frame. He felt himself ready to release but fought against it. Not until he got the bitch off first.

He pushed her down, pressing her face to the floor, using every trick in the book to hold himself back. This was angry, violent sex. Something he hadn't had the pleasure of in a long time. He tried hard not to enjoy it but he just couldn't he felt dirty and guilty as he betrayed Sherry's innocence but he reminded himself, her body would heal and this was not her mind he was facing. He dug his fingers into her shoulders, violently pulling her back, forcing himself deeper into her as he felt her surrender. His movements became erratic as he rode her through her orgasm, submitting to his own. He pushed her to the ground and lay on top of her, restraining her hands above her head as his high came down to a rest.

The guilt overwhelmed Jake as he lay on top of G, soaking wet with sweat and fluids. He reminded himself again, this was not Sherry and this was not love. This was the only way out of this fucking shit hole. He had to let Sherry get control of G and this was the only purred beneath him in that strange vibrating tone of hers. "I look forward to you fathering our spawns." He punched her in the back of the head, knocking her unconscious.  
"I thought I said to shut the fuck up." Jake panted heavily, crying out in anguish. He was now left alone to his own thoughts of what he had done. No matter how many times he killed, how many lives he took as a mercenary, the cash was always a reward to wipe it all away. Nothing compared to what he felt now. He had defiled the one he loved for the sake of a way out.

Jake lay beside her on the bed, covering their naked forms with the thin sheet that lay beside the bed in a heap on the floor. He felt disgusted and ashamed. No amount of scrubbing in the shower would remove what he had done to Sherry. He cuddled her up in his arms protectively, his chest pressed to her back as he redressed her, slipping her arms into the straps of the dress. He nuzzled his forehead against her neck, breathing in he sweet scent. Her blonde hair tickled his face, reminding him of better times and what this should have been. He found himself waiting impatiently for Sherry to return as he silently cried himself to sleep.

**Sad romance. :( Sorry guys. Hot sex doesn't always end in pleasure. XD The title describes Jake not Sherry.**


	10. The hunger within pt 3 of 3

**"The World Was on Fire and No One Could Save Me but You. It's Strange What Desire Will Make Foolish People Do. I Never Dreamed That I'd Meet Somebody Like You. And I Never Dreamed That I'd Lose Somebody Like You. No, I Don't Want to Fall in Love With You. (The World is Gonna Break Your Heart.)" Wicked Game, Chris Isaak**

Sherry awoke to the comfort of a warm body wrapped around her. Her neck and back were wet with sweat and his tears. She heard him sob lightly between his deep breaths. Jake must have been asleep. His soft sighs and scruffy facial hair tickled her back. Despite what had happened, she felt at peace. She remembered the look in Jake's eyes as he surrendered himself to G. He was afraid and disgusted with himself. She wondered if that's what he thought of her, not just G. No, she knew better than that. Jake loved her. He wanted G out of her body and he wanted it over with quickly. Surprisingly, Sherry felt relieved. She kissed his hand softly, stirring him from his sleep.

"Good morning, super girl." He whispered in her ear, placing a soft kiss on her neck. He had nearly forgotten she was aware of everything G was doing. He wondered if she felt any of that anger. In a way, it may have been a good thing. If she was willing to give him a chance, he would show her what real love was. Sherry rolled to face him, his sad blue eyes staring up at the dim light above, too ashamed to face her now.

"Jake... It's okay. Really, I'm fine. I know you had to." She whispered in his ear, answering his silent questions. "Jake... Look at me." She tilted his head up to her, her palm on his face, gently tracing the line of his scar with her thumb. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth in her touch. He missed her soft, little fingers against his skin. He cupped her small hand in his, leaning into her touch. He shook his head, unable to look her in the eyes, he forced his cheek against her touch to stare into the light.  
"I'm sorry, Sherry... It's still not right..." He closed his eyes as he continued. "I couldn't stop G. Not without..." He shook his head again. "What have I done.!?" he felt disgusted with himself. He wanted to throw up, more so, he wanted to die. He couldn't hold back his tears as he began to hyperventilate, anxiety taking him over.

She crawled upon his chest and looked into his eyes. His were filled with tears and hurt. He closed them against his will, wanting to take in the beauty of the woman who was too good to blame him for his own actions. He tried again to speak but she cut him off, shushing him softly. Her breath was warm and inviting against his face as she leaned in to kiss him softly. "It's okay, Jake. I wanted you to be my first. It's okay because it was you." She kissed him deeper as he tried to will himself away but Sherry always had a way with him. He couldn't resist her. He opened his eyes, happy to see that she was Sherry and not G seducing him. He still tried to search for words as their eyes danced together. He felt warm and almost relieved in her arms, like nothing else mattered in the world but Sherry. Her blue eyes serenaded him as he lay beneath her, battered and broken. Her loving gaze made him feel alive. His breathing returned to normal as his heart calmed.

Sherry had only a slight hint of sorrow in her eyes, wanting to console him. She had never seen Jake like this. He was the shadow of the man she knew. Broken, bleeding, ashamed of himself. She couldn't bare it much longer. Yes, she knew by the tone of his voice when he was with G that he wouldn't let G enjoy him. G had enjoyed him anyways no wonder how painful he made it. Sherry sighed softly. She always pictured it would have been different. "It was not my first time." She whispered it allowed, startling both Jake and herself with the realization. It was true, she barely experienced it anyways. It was G who had consented and taking their first time together away from both of them. G had raped Jake, not the other way around. Now he lay here, too disgusted and ashamed to even comfort Sherry, too lost in his own world.

She thought back to the night when he taught her she was worthy of love, worthy of experiencing pleasure in his hallow, infected shell. He was the only man that didn't see her as a science project, the only person that didn't view her as a monster after seeing her hidden powers. Even as G, she knew he couldn't help but want to love her truly. She felt all of his hesitations, saw the look in his eyes, the tremors in his voice. Sherry was used to her body being abused and broken. Jake loved her, she knew that now and it was her that needed to heal him, for their future's sake.

"Jake... We can make this right." She whispered in his ear, kissing his jawline softly. "Please..." She shook her head above him, her blonde hair licking his skin. "I need you to love me." Sherry stood up and went to the table, taking the knife from their dinner the night before. She looked at it solemnly as Jake watched. She couldn't bare to see the wounds all over his body, the blood still running from some of them. She cut her hand, fighting against the virus so it wouldn't close. The blood ran down her arm to her elbow. "Let me heal you." She put out her hand to take his. He hesitated before agreeing willingly. He gave her a nod and she cut his hand, pressing her palm to his. They panted as their blood fused together, staring each other in the eyes as they sat facing each other on the floor. They kissed as their wounds healed, all the injuries from G healing on his skin, leaving no scars as their hands closed. They kissed each other endlessly as time stood still.

Jake pulled himself away, finally truly facing her gaze, staring into her blue-grey eyes. "Sherry... You know this will never end well." He pushed her away lightly, scoffing as he stared off at nothing beside him. "I told you... Don't love me." He crossed his arms over his chest and went to sit against the wall opposite to her. Sherry had her arms outreached, dropping them to the floor in vein.  
"Jake. I don't care. I'm not asking you to join the DSO or BSAA. I know you won't ever work a 9-5, buried in paperwork on your days off." She shook her head, wrapping her arms around her knees as she pulled them to her chest. Her dress sprawled out around her like a princess. His heart was breaking with her words that should comfort him. She truly was too innocent, too pure, too good for a mercenary like Jake Muller.  
"Sherry, what are you saying?" His voice was cracking as he stared into her eyes, wondering why she could even look at him now, let alone, love him?

"I can't help it if you are my hearts desire, my reason to live. You make me feel alive. Together? We can do anything. We can take on the world." She crawled over to him slowly, wrapping her arms around him. At first, he hesitated, then couldn't help but throw his arms around her. "I love you Jake... I can't help it." She put her cheek on his face and forced him to turn and look at her once more. "I don't care who you think you are and who you don't want to be. I love the man that you are, right now. So if your actions are all lies... Please keep lying to me." She kissed him deeply, pushing her hands against his shoulders in case he resisted. "Make this right for both of this, right now... I give you my consent."

Jake shot her a confused look, furrowing his brows with annoyance and grief. "Sherry, I consciously defiled you. I stole your innocence. I..." Sherry cut him off with another brief kiss.  
"No, Jake. you didn't. G forced you upon me and you had no choice. I'd rather see you alive than dead by my own hands." Sherry stared at her hands, sharking her head at the realization of how things could have played out. "Please, Jake. Set aside reality. We know we won't be together. Our first time together was stolen from us last night. Just please, love me." He said nothing, trying to look away from her again. She grabbed his face with her hands, "I see the way you look at me, even now Jake. Why else are you so hurt?" Tears ran down both their cheeks as they stared into each other's eyes, both panting with anxiety. "Please, love me just this once. No matter what has happened and what may happen, I will always love you, Jake Muller."

They stared at each other for a long time, Sherry waiting for his answer, Jake questioning what was happening. Sherry didn't care what he did, she just wanted him. She wanted to feel his love and she would have it. The shame and guilt left him at the realization of how much she felt for him. He didn't know such a thing was humanly possible, especially when neither of them was really human anymore. Sherry was so good to him, even when he was that asshole he met in Edonia. Always had been, always would be. He couldn't help but love her to. He wasn't lying to her, he was lying to himself. Afraid to get hurt. Afraid to lose her. He fell too hard and too deep this time, unable to let go. He hesitated, then kissed her deeply. She moaned lightly, satisfied with his silent answer as he wrapped his arms around her. If the old Jake was told he would one day grow into love with his soul mate by anyone, he would have laughed in their face. Now, he was just terrified of losing her forever.

* * *

**WOW Accidentally overwritten lemon between Jake and Sherry (and no one told me anything) It was really sweet and passionate. :( Will rewrite**

* * *

**"I Can't Escape this Hell. So Many Times I've Tried But I'm Still Caged Inside. Somebody Get Me Through This Nightmare. I Can't Control Myself. So What If You Can See the Darkest Side of Me? No One Will Ever Change This Animal I Have Become? Help Me Believe It's Not the Real Me. Somebody Help Me Tame This Animal." Animal I Have Become, Three Days Grace**

Wow so I hit the document limit for fanfictionNET. I've deleted all docs but first chapters in my series. Book 5 (current) still has all documents for typo editing and such. XD This current book should end within the next 5 chapters depending on if I draw out the last story arch or not. I was going to end it in 3 but found something i thought was interesting as the last plot line. After I have a new book planned again. :) I hope the lemons weren't too crazy. I got great feedback and while I know, everyone wanted Jake to find another way, Sherry understood and he made it up to her. For those who missed out cus they don't read lemons, I'm covering the highlights of their feelings and such in the first three paragraphs here. Enjoy.

Jake lost himself in Sherry. She completed him. He could always read her worried looks like a psychic. She always knew when he was hiding his true feelings or needed a kick in his ass. How could they not come to this realization before? This is where they should have been a long time ago, in each other's arms. He fought it for so long with every excuse in the book when really he was just afraid to lose her. He hesitated as he touched her.

Even after what had happened, Sherry was still a virgin. It wasn't Sherry Jake had taken, it was G. He smiled softly, putting his forehead to hers as they shared each other's breaths. She was so pure, so innocent. He hadn't been with a girl like that since he was young and even then, he had never felt this way before. He enjoyed this on a spiritual level, not just as a typical virgin slayer like most guys. They lay panting after a night of passion, both exhausted and covered in sweat. They watched each other for a short while.

Jake rolled them over in one swift movement, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace as he threw the blanket around them. Sherry's breaths calmed as she drifted to sleep on top of him, both of them satisfied completely. Jake felt happy. All the grief, guilt and sadness gone from his being. G may have tried to steal their first night together but it was salvaged. He finally knew how he really felt about Sherry. This bond was unbreakable and no one could take it from them. His best friend, his true love, the only person he trusted in the world, lay peacefully in his arms. For once in his life, he was truly happy as the man he was. Her man.

Nothing could ruin this moment had they been anyone else but Jake Muller and Sherry Birkin, the cursed offspring of insane geniuses. The vines slunk into the room through the trap door above. Jake noticed them immediately, his eyes filling with rage. "Why... Why now?" They didn't even have time for pillow talk. He tried to hold onto Sherry, delaying the inevitable as she was yanked from her sleep and his arms in one fail swoop. The vines wrapped around her, stealing the blanket too as it wrapped around her body, concealing her nudity. She reached her hand out, crying for him. All he could do was reach back and call her name before she disappeared through the ceiling.

Finally, that familiar chuckle. Jake chuckled back. Only he knew a secret loophole that idiot Chimerys forgot. Some fresh clothing dropped through the ceiling, then the door to the gantlet. He scooped up the clothes and put them on. Black slacks and a long-sleeved black shirt with buttons up the front. Again, he adjusted them to his style, picking up his previous suspenders. He shook his head at the trap door, then jogged through the stairway to his familiar confines.

Sherry was plunked down on a bed. She looked around. It was a medical ward. she faced the man she vaguely remembered from her previous state of stupor. He looked like... "Uncle Wesker?" No... Jake had said he was some sort of mixture of the "Wesker Children." Still he looked so much like her father's best friend she had met in her childhood. She moved a moment too late as the metal confines pinched her wrists and ankles as they closed on her, drawing blood from each site. She decided not to struggle. This was inevitable.

She heard a woman's voice beside her. She snapped her head to the side to look. The woman who rescued her from China? She looked so familiar in that red shirt and black pants. Her hair was longer than Sherry remembered. Had she met her in Racoon City? She aged well but Sherry recognized her. What was her name? "No!" Sherry cried out as the sedative pricked her, the cold fluid injected directly into her veins. It was fast acting. She could barely follow their conversation after a few seconds.

"I don't have all day, Wesker..." Her boots clicked slowly around the room as she spoke with disinterest.  
"Goddamn it woman, I am not Wesker... Do you have what I wan't or not?" He sounded impatient, his monotone voice showing some emotion for a change.  
"That all depends... Is the product ready or not?"  
"One more needle."  
"Seriously..." She still sounded disinterested, "You didn't even test it out yet?" Sherry felt another injection directly into her veins. She felt some burning, then nothing. "Did you stupidly try it out on Wesker Jr. first? I bet you left her alone with him, too." She chuckled.  
"Why is that of any concern to you?"  
"Because... I bet she was smart enough to inject herself with his antibodies after you gave him T-Veronica." Silence. "You know, Wesker was pretty intelligent. I guess you got your brains from the morons who died after the project. What a damn shame." Sherry heard a gun fire, then metal on metal. A window being slapped closed.

"Well, then..." Sherry felt the prick of another needle. She couldn't move her body to even try resisting anymore. She was fading fast. The moments passed in silence as Sherry questioned if she was still conscious. "I suppose the bitch is right. Looks like you're resistant to T-Veronica as well... I had better dispose of you two. After all, I already have your DNA. Time for plan B." An alarm sounded as Sherry drifted off, her vision blacked to darkness as she heard his footsteps fade away.

Jake paced in front of his window. He even debated running the gauntlet if he knew how the damn thing worked. Anything was better than sitting with his own thoughts, worrying about Sherry. A shadow passed before his feet. His only source of light here was the window. His head snapped up instinctively at the source. A woman's silhouette. "Here. Catch." She threw him a pendant that looked like some sort of vial. She spoke with an air of cool. "Give that to Leon. He's on his way to bail you two out." Jake's eyebrows furrowed. He looked her up and down, barely able to make out her features.  
"Who the fuck are you?" She crossed her arms, then spread them before leaping backwards.  
"Your guardian angel." She chuckled as she disappeared into the night.

Sherry found herself in a darkened... room? She wasn't sure where she was. There was just a spotlight on her and a mirror. No, it wasn't a mirror. It was herself. Sherry was dressed in the white sheet, thrown around her like a robe. This other Sherry wore a familiar, crushed velvet, blue dress. The soft, stretchy fabric clung to her curves. Her eyes were different... They looked marbled, glazed over like the dead. "G?" Her other self nodded.  
"Yes, I'm you. If you want to get out of here, you're going to have to trust me." G's voice echoed eerily. It startled Sherry. G reached her arms out and Sherry fell backwards, stumbling onto her knees in fear.  
"Stay away from me you monster!" G seemed hurt by that comment.  
"Monster? No... I'm just a part of you." She put her hands out to her sides as she spoke softly, exaggerating her words. "Misunderstood, infected, powerful... I am just an extension of you. It's not my fault I need to reproduce. It's the virus. I am just who you would be if our mother didn't cure us..."

Sherry shook her head, crawling away as G came closer.  
"No, I'm not like you." Sherry shook her head. G crossed her arms and chuckled.  
"Without me? Do you think you'd be the strong woman you are? Fine, you were independent. Mom and dad did that to us. Do you think you would have saved Jake's soul? Do you think you can save either of you now?" Sherry went silent in contemplation. She was what she hated, the monster people saw her as. G was the embodiment of every fear Sherry had since she became infected. Sherry wasn't strong enough to get away now, especially sedated but G? G could save them? No... She was too hard to control, too unpredictable. She would probably prefer to kill Jake. Sherry shook her head.  
"Sherry, you're wrong. I love Jake... If you die, I will die too. Our species would have no chance to continue." g shook her head, her arms relaxing at her sides. "Besides, Jake's bloodline is immune. There is a very slim chance of our offspring being monsters..." G reached her hand out to pull Sherry up.

"Please, you need to trust me. Together, we can get out of here. We can save Jake. That's why we came here." Sherry hesitated, pulling herself away as she stumbled backwards into the darkness. "Sherry, we have no time... Please... Even if you destroy me, I am why you are alive. I am the reason you are immortal. Please, save us. Save Jake..." Sherry hesitated. Could she really trust G? She could barely control her before. What would happen if she let G take over again. G spoke the truth. "Sherry, How far are you willing to go to save the one you love?" She put her hand on her hip, her other one still extended. "Just admit it, Birkin. You need me."

* * *

**Untitled**

The lights flickered in Jake's cell and from as far as he could see. It had a strobe like effect, everything seeming to move in slow motion. It was still daylight in his cell though he couldn't see the sun to track the time. He wondered what was in the pendant he wore around his neck. He decided to wait in his cell, with the alarms blazing and lights flickering, it was safer in case the crazy labyrinth called the gauntlet would start itself up, releasing J'avo and traps.

"Jake!" A familiar voice startled him. He could barely make out her silhouette in the doorway as the lights flickered. Sherry. She ran to him and threw her arms around him, kissing him deeply. He hugged her tight like he'd die without her embrace. "Missed me?" Jake shrugged.  
"Not at all, super girl." She kissed him again, pulling him by his shirt towards the door.  
"We gotta go, fast..." Something was different in her tone. Jake thought it might just be the alarms blaring. He shook it off then jogged after her.

Jake's suspicion was right. They were unarmed against several J'avo. All Jake had was the knife from their dinner the night before, carefully hidden in his boot, just in case. Sherry lead the attack, hopping over a J'avo and smashing it's head into the ground. She did a flying kick to the next, stomping it's head out with her bare feet. She wore just the same white sheet, wrapped around her like a toga. They slowly wandered through all the traps, Jake leading the way through it like the back of his hand. "Good," He rambled, "...No new surprises today." He gave a few quick strikes a J'avo, then side kicked it, reducing it to a flaming pile of rubble between him and the wall. Sherry spun under a J'avo's large arm, striking it in the ribs. She kicked out and it went flying towards Jake. He finished it off with a hard punch.

They reached the end of the gauntlet, both searching for an exit. Jake was panting and sweating but Sherry was as fresh as the breeze on a summer day. "So," he panted, "...Just how did you get down here?" Sherry pointed to the viewing room. The window was broken. She shrugged. He raised an eyebrow, "Okay... So how do we get out of here?" She shut him up with another kiss, forcing him against the wall. He melted into her touch. He couldn't wait to get out of his hellhole. He pushed her back gently. "Yeah, this isn't a good time, super girl. We need to find the way out." She just shrugged at him.  
"If you insist, Wiskers."

They made their way to the viewing room and she gestured for Jake to give her a boost. He shook his head, doubting they could get out that way. "I think I can make it." She smiled wide. There was some new found sense of confidence Jake just didn't get. He put his palms out for her to jump. She rolled her eyes and gestured with her hands. "Turn around." He shrugged and put his back to the wall. He boosted her up and she flipped the full length up, kicking off the wall and stretched out to grab the ledge above. Jake was impressed. What had Sherry learned in the year since they were in China? He watched her with a cautious eye as she took out more J'avo before hoisting down a fire hose for him to climb. She reached her hand out near the top and hoisted him up.

The lights continued to flash as they made their way through more J'avo. They heard gunfire up ahead. Jake peered around a corner and spotted a lone DSO agent and a bunch of Jarheads from the BSAA. The agent had long, brown bangs in his face and looked about 40. He was nearly Jake's height and build. He hid around a corner, shooting at some J'avo but Jake had a quick eye. Leon S. Kennedy. Sherry pulled Jake by the hand. "This way, Jake! C'mon." Jake shot her a suspicious look, wondering why Sherry would be on the run from Leon. "Please." She begged. He scoffed and shook his head, then went along with her. Sherry ran quickly. Even with his increased speed and stamina, Jake could barely keep up. They killed a few more J'avo on the way to the exit. They finally crossed the threshold into the blazing sun. It was cold. Jake could see his breath. They must have been high up in the North. The view looked like it could be Italy with all the orchards and rolling hills he could see in the valley below. Sherry pulled him into a hard kiss, pressing him up against the door.

"Jake, listen to me." She looked backwards, then kissed him again. "There isn't much time. We have to run. I had to do it for you." She darted off as BSAA agents began to move in. Jake looked around, confused. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to turn. She closed her eyes.  
"Sherry? What the fuck is going on?"  
"Stay right there!" A familiar voice. Chris Redfield? Why would she be running from him?  
"Give it up now, Birkin!" Leon? Leon was supposed to come save her.

"Sherry!" Jake pulled her close to his body as a flash grenade went off. It was too late. His ears were ringing. Her petite frame blurred in front of him.  
"Jake quick. You have to run. I'll pull them away. Jake! I said run! Go!" Sherry pulled Jake up before he could come to his senses and he scampered after her.  
"Sherry, what did you do?" He pulled her by the arm again. She pushed him off and tried to run. "Goddamn it, answer me!" Another flash bomb.  
"This is your last warning, Birkin!" Redfield again. Jake wanted to rip his throat out if he didn't shut the fuck up.  
"Muller, get away from her! She's not stable!" Leon.  
"What the fuck, Sherry! Look at me!" He spun her around. She finally paused, opening her eyes slowly. Another grenade, this time, a real one. Jake saw it at the last moment and Sherry was the one to grab him and dive out of the way. They rolled back into the building. He shook his head as he found himself on his back. Her petite frame above him, straddling him as she cradled his head in her arms. They became surrounded by BSAA holding heavy weapons.

"I'm sorry, Jake. If I didn't do it, we wouldn't have lived. I was trying to protect you. I didn't want them to experiment on you, like they did to me." She opened her eyes to reveal she wasn't Sherry. It was G who had saved Jake. "I swear, she summoned me." She shook her head, looking at all the guns around them. "We've failed you..." She turned to run, slicing through the agents closer to her with her nails, heading for as suicide dive off a cliff.

Jake grabbed the knife from his boot and threw it at her back. G gasped, stumbling to the ground. "Please, don't kill her!" He yelled as they swarmed her. It was the right thing to do. He kept telling himself that. G was too random to control. She would endanger Sherry in the process, which she had already done. Jake felt a hand press his shoulder.  
"Thank you." Leon smiled softly at him. "You did the right thing, Muller." Jake brushed him off, scoffing.  
"Yeah, fuck you, Leon." Leon stepped back, hesitating before speaking.  
"Jake, she killed all my men and half of the BSAA here. Whoever that is, it's not Sherry."  
"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock." Jake crossed his arms. He yanked the chain from his neck. "That bitch, Ada, gave this to me. Said you'd know what to do with it."

Leon stared blankly for a moment until realization kicked in. "That's Sherry's necklace from Racoon City. This is the G virus sample Ada stole back then. Maybe if we mix it with your blood we can finally find a cure for Sherry." Jake stared off blankly as Sherry was restrained and sedated. He pursed his lips, trying not to look. He threw his hands in the air.  
"What the fuck is right about this? She doesn't need a cure. The virus is what made her who she is today." He shook his head. "You can do whatever the fuck you want to the sick bitch that is her dual personality but don't take her virus from her." He looked Leon in the eyes, giving him the typical stern Jake look. "Look, that, is not Sherry. Whatever the fuck she did, it's not her."

"Jake!" Sherry called his name, throwing her hand out to him. Her eyes changed from being that dead marble glaze to her true blues. He jumped up from his seated position to charge after her.  
"Oh god, Sherry." He pressed past the BSAA agents and put his hands to her face. He stroked her blonde locks away from her face as he stared deeply into her eyes. "Why, why'd you do it?" She shook her head weakly.  
"For you..." Her eyes rolled back into her head as she succumbed to the sedative. Jake was left alone as they wheeled her away into a helicopter on the gurney she was on.

A firm grip was on his shoulder once more. "Jake." Again, he brushed Leon off. "I know how you feel." He turned around, pressing his finger into Leon's chest hard, pushing him back as he pointed.  
"Save it, hero. You know nothin." Jakes voice cracked as he hid his tears behind his hard shell. "i gotta stand here while your bastards take the woman I love," he cocked his head, "and betrayed... To be a guinea pig again?" Leon shook his head, hesitating before he raise dhis gaze from Jake's finger to his eyes.  
"Jake. Sherry is a daughter to me. I had no choice in Racoon City but to give her up. I was forced into the life of an agent. At least I pulled the strings so you can choose." Jake scoffed, looking away.  
"Save your bullshit." He threw his hands in the air and walked off.  
"Wait, Jake!" Leon stood in the same spot like he knew Jake would listen. Jake paused, hesitating for a long moment before finally facing Leon. A helicopter remained as the BSAA did their final rounds.  
"I need your blood... For Sherry. We also need any information you have on your captor." He held his hand out to him, "Please. I promise. This time, I can pull the strings to keep her safe. She's under my authority now." He took something out of his pocket and shoved it in open view. "Here. Living expenses for you to return to Edonia, if you wish to." Jake came forward, looking Leon over with his hard gaze. He stuck his chin up, eyeing the money. He swiped it from leon's hands.

"Is this all you think of me, Leon?" He threw it in his face. "I don't need your fucking money from Uncle Sam. All I want," he pointed up to the sky, his gaze unwavering from Leon, "...Is your little girl." Leon stared him down just as harshly, taking a few steps forward into Jake's face.  
"So help me end this." Leon pleaded with him, holding his hands out.  
"No." Jake turned away, walking to where, he didn't even know. He shook his head as he picked up the pace.  
"Jake. I know you two will never be safe. From the file I read, we need you to control G. Maybe it's better if you come to the States with us? in the mean time, you can think it over? Becoming an agent?" Jake paused, his anger rising.  
"Maybe I should just track down that bitch and find out what she knows about the G-Virus." He started off again, annoyed as Leon called out one more time.  
"Fine. I'm coming with you." Leon jogged to catch up to Jake.  
"Wow, hero. You're in this deeper than I thought." He growled. "Who the fuck is going to take care of my girl then?" Jake growled and threw his hands in the air. "You really are as smart as you look."  
"Please, just one week. Come to the States. We'll try to help Sherry, then we can go after Ada if you want." Jake paused, scratching his chin in his cupped hand while he considered it, his head bobbing as he cocked it left and right.  
"Okay, pretty boy. One week. Then her ass is grass."

* * *

**"All Around Me Are Familiar Faces. Worn Out Places. Worn Out Faces. Their Tears Are Filling Up Their Glasses. No Expression. No Expression. Hide My Head I Wanna Drown My Sorrow. No Tomorrow. No Tomorrow. And I Find It Find of Funny. I Find It Kind of Sad. The Dreams in Which I'm Dying Are the Best I've Ever Had. I Find It Hard to Tell You, I Find It Hard to Take, When People Run In Circles It's a Very Very Mad World." Mad World, Tears for Fears**

Jake boarded the chopper with Leon, Sherry and the remaining BSAA. No Chris Redfield in sight. "Glad it's just you and me, hero. Don't need that fucking Jarhead around." Jake brushed himself off, still covered in blood and dirt from the battle before. He pointed at Leon, a smirk on his face as he cocked his head. "Hey, I better be given a shaving kit cus I'm tired of sharing your emo-ass look." He put his hands in the air as Leon smirked back. "Sorry hero, just ain't my style."  
"Yeah." Leon chuckled back, "I wouldn't want you to look like my ugly twin for much longer. We all know you're the evil twin." Jake gave Leon the finger as he crossed his arms, gazing out the window.  
"Are you done?" Jake shook his head. "Asshole..."

He was right that they were in Italy. He was taking in the landscape. To think, the mansion he was in was surrounded by beautiful orchards and rich terrain. He never got to see a single bit of it. He smiled sadly. "Sherry would have loved to see this." He said aloud to no one in particular, shaking his head.  
"You'll take her here someday I'm sure." Leon nodded at Jake's raised eyebrow. Jake smiled softly, the first time Leon had seen it. "Besides, I'm sure there's a reason Sherry is so crazy about you." Jake's raised eyebrow turned to a stoic look of anger and confusion.  
"What do you know about it?" His cold gaze snapped toward Leon who just shrugged in response.

"Well, you're a dead man in the states." Leon threw his hand out, exaggerating his statements. "Declared MIA. That's why I was able to pull strings and get you the clearance to enter our boarders. Sherry..." Leon glanced at her with a look of intense sadness on his face. "She wasn't the same after Egypt." He shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "She couldn't even form a speech at your memorial. Didn't even write one or I would have read it for her. She just," He tapped his knee nervously, pausing, "...she just collapsed into a ball of tears. No matter what she had been through, never once have I seen her cry. Not since I had to tell her that her mother died after we escaped Racoon City." He shook his head again, looking up at Jake. Jake had continued to stare out the window, a hand on the glass. His lips pursed with anger but his eyes told another story.

"Leon." He looked over, opening his mouth to find words. He shook his head as he continued, "I told her not to love me." He pointed at him, dropping his other hand to his knee as he turned to face Leon. "Don't think I did this to her." He dropped his hand and his gaze to his knees. "When we parted in Edonia, I didn't even go to the airport. She knew we couldn't be together." He shrugged, shaking his head, an angry tone in his voice. "If I wasn't the bastard son of a crazy ass..."  
"Jake." Leon cut him off. "Enough of that. Sherry knows what she is fighting for. What we are all fighting for. A world without this bullshit. The nightmare has to end sometime." Jake scoffed and looked out the window again.  
"Sherry is immortal. At one point she will have to let me go. She will probably be the only one of us to live to see that day." Leon smiled sadly, his eyes shadowed behind his bangs. He shook his head at Jake as they both hunched, facing each other.  
"You're probably right, Muller. I really hope you're wrong though."

The rest of the flight passed in awkward silence. Jake could barely take his eyes off of Sherry. She was sedated and heavily restrained. He shook his head. "They're treating her like she's Hannibal Lecter. The only person she zombied out on is me for fucks sake." His thoughts were haunting him as he forced his gaze away, only returning to look whenever his blood was taken by the medic to be injected into her. He had told Leon at some point that his blood was the only thing that kept G at bay. They had no choice but to bring him to the States. It was a smart move on Leon's part. Jake wasn't even thinking straight after they had taken Sherry. He was glad once his feet hit soil. He liked the view on planes but never really did get used to traveling. He'd rather be on a motorcycle, as free as his own spirit. At least here, they were together. The only thing that could take him from her side was the possibility of getting rid of G for good.

Jake was given Sherry's apartment in DC. Leon got a hold of her keys by pulling some strings to get permission. Claiming Jake as his partner and the only one that could deal with the C-Virus crazies, Leon got the clearance for a recon mission. They were to find and capture Ada Wong to learn about the G-Virus. The government owed it to Sherry for all the bullshit they did to her, ruining her teens and early adulthood.

After spending the day reporting to Leon about his two month imprisonment and what had happened to Sherry, Jake was relieved to buy groceries and get acquainted with his temporary home in DC. He moved through the streets like it was any other place he had been, not caring about the people or the sights. For a place that just recovered from a zombie outbreak, people just didn't seem to care. It was a different world to where he grew up, even to where he was helping kill B.O.W.s. The people carried on like it was any other day in the Nation's Capital. It sickened him.

Jake looked at himself in the mirror. He was in Sherry's apartment, unable to stand himself as he shaved his head and face. He wanted to smash every reflection in sight. It was Sherry's love for him, her sacrifice to save him that caused this bullshit. If only he hadn't called her in as his backup. How could he put the only person he ever trusted, the only woman he had ever really loved, into this situation. He knew she couldn't die but to become the monster everyone saw her as? Ada was going to pay. He didn't care if Leon briefed him that the "Ada" he met in Edonia wasn't the real Ada. The fact that she knew something about the virus and withheld the information was enough for him to smash her face in. He couldn't wait to interrogate her. A sick smile curled his lips as he washed the shaving cream and hair off his face. Someone was going to pay for his mistake. He would make sure of it.


	11. Broken glass 1 of 2

**Book 6: Broken Glass**

* * *

**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

* * *

**"All we are is broken glass. Thrown to the floor we were never meant to last. And all we are are empty shells. Try to pick us up you're gonna cut yourself. It was the first day of the rest of our lives. We didn't know it couldn't go on forever." Broken Glass, Three Days Grace**

* * *

Jake sat in the sixth bar he had hit for the night. You name it, he drank it, cursing his virus the whole way. His metabolism was just too fast for him to sink the booze fast enough and he had the budget for it for sure. He willingly left before last call, glad that the States sold booze in convenience stores. He sat in a park, drinking himself to the ground like a hobo. Finally his head began to spin. Even after three days without sleep and another two since he came to Washington, DC, he was still going. He just couldn't drown the thoughts of Sherry out of his head. The guilt that he caused her to come after him. The monster she became. He broke a bottle at the Lincoln Memorial. "Yeah, fuck you and all you stand for." He pointed at Lincoln then pitched another bottle, this time at his face. He let the glass rain down on his face as it twinkled in the night. He shook his head and stomped off, looking for a fight or anything to sooth his own beast within.

"Just what the fuck are you doing?" A familiar voice. Jake cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck.  
"Leon. What the fuck do you want? It's after hours."  
"I want to know why I got a call about someone in my custody taking advantage of his Diplomatic Immunity." Leon tapped his hand on his gun as Jake ignored him. He wasn't looking for a fight but wasn't stupid enough to not know Jake wanted one. "Muller, you wreak of booze. Tough night?" Jake snapped around, pointing as he cocked his head.  
"Just fuck off, hero. You aren't my keeper." He turned to march down the stairs. Leon just scoffed.  
"While Sherry is in my custody, I'm afraid I am."

With that, Jake turned and charged up the stairs with a loud growl, ready to tiger palm Leon. Leon just stepped out-of-the-way, daring to twist Jake's arm around his back as he kicked him in the ribs. Jake tripped and went down, lashing out into a crouch with a kick reaching Leon's face. Leon dodged, pulling his knife to Jake's throat. "Muller." They exchanged cold glances, "Trust me, I'm enjoying the situation as much as you. You may not know it but your ass is definitely drunk." He released Jake, picking up a bottle on the floor. "Vodka and JD will do that, even to you." Jake chuckled.  
"Yeah, that's the only reason why your face isn't a pulp right now." Leon cocked his head.  
"I don't doubt it. Is that the way you treat the man that will walk your bride down the aisle?" Jake scoffed, crossing his arms.  
"Oh, please. I'm not marrying the girl."  
"Cus she's a monster? Really? Cus I think the monster is you." Jake narrowed his eyes, giving Leon a scowl. If looks could kill...  
"Fuck you, Leon. I already told you, I made her promise not to love me."  
"Oh, really?" Leon grabbed Jake by the shoulder with both hands. "Cus that's a new one. Do you love the girl or not?" Jake looked at Leon's hands, then at his face.  
"What's it to you, hero. I mean, really. You two aren't blood. You're just like me and her. Shared near death experiences." He shoved Leon off, turning away. "Why don't you marry her?" He sighed, slapping his hands to his thighs as he shook his head. "I'll see you in the morning. I can't stand that fucking viewing room but I'll be there."

Jake stared at the ceiling fan in the bedroom. It was a cold night. At least he got to spend Christmas Eve with Sherry. It was like an anniversary to them. That ended ugly, if not worse than their first Christmas Eve together. He wondered what Sherry would think of him, getting drunk in her place. He finally found a limit it seemed, now if only he could maintain it. He went to the fridge. Not another drink in sight. He sighed and slunk into the couch, turning on the TV. It was almost New Years Eve. "Another year, another waste of my fucking life." He growled as he changed the channels. He would have smashed the tv if it wasn't Sherry's.

Sherry lay sedated in DSO custody for the past two or three days. Jake lost count. She had been that way since they escaped imprisonment in Italy. At least she was alive. That meant there was hope. Sherry was being given doses of Jake's blood to keep her new dual personality under wraps. As G, she was unstable and getting stronger every time Jake faced her. Not to mention she was a psychotic nymphomaniac that wouldn't stay off his dick. That was the only other way to get her under control, at the risk of spawning more G-Virus demons and killing Sherry. Jake was here for one reason and one reason only, to help find a long-term cure for Sherry. While he didn't want to rob her of immortality, he did want to get rid of that bitch that was lurking within her. Even if it meant Sherry could control G, it would be enough. He'd be satisfied.

He was staying in Sherry's apartment while in DC. He refused to be anywhere else. Everything here reminded him of Sherry. Her decor and furniture was simple, clean, just like her. The place was petite and well kept. She had one master bedroom and a small guest room that was more of a den. The snow blew outside the large windows, reminding Jake of the man he once was. His heart was becoming cold as ice again as he found himself unable to bear the burden of his own guilt. The snowstorm was just as bad as the one that kept Sherry and him together in Edonia, prisoners of the snow before they were kidnapped and brought to China.

He swaggered and swayed to her bedroom, crashing down once more in her bed. Even the sheets smelled like her. He found himself snuggling her pillow like a whimp. He stroked her soft nightgown like a creep, smelling her sweet scent. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine her embrace again, her soft skin against his own as he made love to her. The only problem was, every time he tried to think of her, he saw G. G was sadistic. She drank his blood and cut his skin, digging her nails into him every chance she got, biting his flesh enough to leave scars. It both sickened and excited him. Sherry was sweet, innocent, loyal, brave. She could blush at Jake's faintest touch. G was a filthy whore. She had no shame or dignity and a lust for destruction. She was physically stronger than Sherry, rivaling Jake's own strength. Her stamina was incomparable. G kept up with Jake even better than Sherry could. She was the kind of girl Jake could have seen himself with in the past, the kind of girl that would break his heart and eat it, quite literally.

He shook his head. He could never see himself accepting G. If Jake and Sherry ever saw themselves together before, despite being hunted constantly by maniacs and bio-terrorists, G was a definite deal-breaker. He loved Sherry but how far could that love go, how long could it last? If she was to become something more than G. Jake shook his head again. He couldn't allow that. Ada Wong had given him a sample of the G-Virus, the very one she stole in Racoon City. If she had that, she may know more about the virus. In 3 days, they were going to track her down. One way or another, Jake would end Sherry's suffering. He planned to make Ada pay for that.

* * *

**Chapter one of the new story. Hope you guys like it. Busy setting up my kid's 2nd birthday so I don't know how quick this one is going to come out but seeing as how I'm a fanfiction addict, I bet it will be out on time. Read and Review please. :) Thanks, F-F-**

**PS. The next chapter is a split chapter. Top is T (will be a short / not bad form of bottom) and the bottom is rated M because it is lemon/lime/citrus so if you don't like it don't read it the bottom. Top is Leon's POV bottom is what's really going on LMFAO :)**

* * *

**"We're going to your place, and now you got to freak me out. You want me to stay but I got to make my way. Hey! You're a crazy b-tch But you f-ck so good I'm on top of it. When I dream I'm doing you all night. Scratches all down my back to keep me right on. You're crazy but I like the way you f-ck me." Crazy B-tch, Buckcherry**

**Originally had a different title but I had too much fun writing this one. Just couldn't resist one last run-in with G. A lil comedy, a lil fan service...**

**Top is rated T (will be a short form of bottom) and the bottom is rated M because it is lemon and violent so if you don't like it don't read it the bottom. Top is Leon's POV bottom is what's really going on LMFAO :)**

**Warning: This chapter is written for entertainment purposes only. Please don't abuse people. Sexual violence and violence in general, especially to a loved one, isn't funny. Even if it's a chick raping a guy and yeah, chicks can do that. :) Do not try this at home.**

**Now that I gave you the "Don't try this at home" and "Violence is bad" speech, this is what would happen to Jake if crazy fangirls invaded his room like zombies. Enter, Night of the Living G. (And Jake thought Ustanak wouldn't get off his dick?)**

**Leon's Phone Call to Jake aka the clean version:**

Leon hoped in his his vehicle. He had barely gotten into bed when it happened. G escaped from the DSO. He tried to get Jake on the headset. Nothing. He tried Jake's cell. Leon whispered to himself as the phone rang, "C'mon, c'mon, pickup pickup..."  
"Uhm... Muller. You're on speaker." Jake was panting heavily in the background.  
"Hey, it's Leon." Jake cut him off.  
"Yeah, who the fuck else knows this DSO issued line? Telemarketing? Tell me something I don't know..."  
"Sherry's escaped."  
"No shit, Sherlock. Like I said, tell me something I don't know." Leon heard furniture being thrown, some antiques breaking in the background. Jake sounded desperate, "God, please don't bite, please don't bite, please don't... Gaaaahhh goddamn it! Fucking bitch!" More furniture being banged around. "Nice..."  
"Jake, are you okay over there? I'm on my way!"  
"Yeah, I'm built like a tank. Nothin I can't," another loud groan from Jake, "Fuck! ...handle." Panting. "You crazy fucking bitch..." Glass breaking.  
"Sounds like you have it under control." Leon smirked, wondering what the hell was going on over there although he had a good idea of it.  
"Yeah hero, take your time..." Jake sounded exhausted as he continued to pant.  
"Why didn't you call me when she showed up?" Leon barked out.  
"Well, you know me..." Leon could hear him shrugging over the phone with sarcasm, "Had to... tie up a few loose ends... Fuck!" Another loud grunt. "Well, you know where the key is..." Another grunt followed by a couple gasps and some more panting. "And... that should about do it... Target diffused." Jake hung up the phone.

Leon parked in front of the building. He tried the elevator. It was on the penthouse. He ran up the eight flights of stairs, whipping out the key and unlocking the door. He held his barretta in the doorway, then pushed the door open, pointing just in case.

Jake was fixing his pants like he had just gotten dressed. The bedroom door was open. He hunched over in the hallway like he had one hell of a fight, probably still kinda drunk too. Leon smirked, "You look good."  
"Yeah yeah, shut up and get the bitch out of here, will ya?" Leon reached out a hand to help Jake up. "No hero, I'm good. I'm good. Just, gonna go have a cold shower..." Jake slunk away to the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it behind him.

Leon sighed as he went into the bedroom. The glass on the closet door was broken. The dresser's drawers were all either pulled out of falling out, clothing scattered everywhere. A pair of pantyhose tied around Sherry/G's mouth. She stared up at Leon with her dead eyes, scowling at him. A sheet was wrapped around her like she was a mummy, more pantyhose tied around her to secure her. The sheets on the bed were in disarray, town and thrown about. He sighed again, picking up Sherry as he walked through the hallway. "Jake," he called out, "I'm seriously not going to ask but you know this has to go into a report." Jake called back from the bathroom, shower running.  
"Fuck you, hero. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Leon chuckled. Jake called out again, "I didn't hear a slam so I guess it didn't. Like I said, see you tomorrow."

**What really happened:**

Jake tried to sleep, sprawled on his back in a drunken stupor. He wore a pair of loose fitting shorts on his hips. It was a cold night but his body temperature was accustomed to it, being from Edonia. He hadn't slept in days. Finally, the booze was taking it's full effect. Every time he dreamed of Sherry's beautiful face, every time he got near her, her eyes went dead and she became G. He'd kiss those soft lips and be bitten. He lost count on how many times he startled out of his sleep.

He dreamed of the day he found out Sherry was alive when they were escaping in China, running around the sterile white environment in nothing but white sweatpants hanging low on his hips. He had just avoided several J'avo and crawled through a low floor vent into a maintenance shaft. He climbed the ladder and into the vent, hopping down immediately into the room below. Sherry called his name. He turned to see her in that sexy medical outfit, being held on by a few ties scattered here and there. He had been polite when he first saw her. That was in reality. Sherry was different in this dream.

Jake cleared his throat and looked away like a gentleman. He waited for Sherry to realize her state of undress and hide around the locker. Not this time. He raised his eyebrow as she went to a locker, opening it to find clothes that fit. She began to undress before him, slowly untying the ribbons from the bottom to the top, gesturing for Jake to help. "Jake, I can't reach all of these on my own... Please help me." She bent over to grab her boots from the locker. Jake scoffed. "Are you serious?"  
"C'mon Jake, I'm cold..." She shook her head at him, gesturing at the ties on her shoulders. "You should never keep a lady waiting." He crossed his arms, standing in disbelief. "Jake!" She called in annoyance. He shook his head then walked over to her, hesitating at the straps.  
"Alright alright, I'll give you a hand.?" He untied the straps, then looked away as he blushed. Sherry turned to face him and he covered his eyes.  
"What's wrong, Jake? Never seen a girl before? I'm used to being seen naked by all sorts of scientists. It's nothing new to me?" She threw her hands out, shrugging at him.

Jake backed up, tripping over the bench and finding himself sprawled out on it. Sherry threw her clothes at his face and climbed on top of him like a cat. She kissed his neck softly. He stared at her like she had tentacles coming out of her head. "What's wrong, Jake? Not as happy as I am to see you?" She looked down at his pants. "Only one slight problem, you aren't as naked as I am." Sherry grabbed at his bits. "Oh, you are happy to see me." She slid his pants off of his hips, then jerked them off of him in one pull.  
"Uh... super girl? Are you okay? Cus..." She shushed him with her finger.  
"You better be quiet, Wiskers, or the J'avo guards will find us." She pounced on him and stroked his manhood before guiding him into her. Jake moaned loudly, trying to hold back. He was still trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.  
"Sherry, am I... dreaming? I mean, don't stop but... We could get caught and this could be... bad?" He couldn't stop gasping and grunting beneath her. "Wait... Did she just call me... Wiskers?"

Jake snapped back into reality. He looked around the room. He was in Sherry's apartment, a blue blanket wrapped around his hands. His pants were nowhere to be seen below... "Oh god no..." Jake groaned, throwing his head back into the pillow as wrestled with the blanket. His phone began to ring as he panted, trying to hold back his climax. He snatched his DSO issued phone off the dresser, seeing Leon's name light up on the screen. He slammed on the speaker button. "Uhm... Jake Muller." He held back his grunts as he panted beneath G, trying to wrestle her off of his manhood. Easier said than done.

Jake could hear a car's engine revving as he sat up, trying to push the bitch off. He got up with a grunt. Leon began to chat nonchalantly. "Hey, it's Leon." Jake cut him off.  
"Yeah, who the fuck else knows this DSO issued line? Telemarketing? Tell me something I don't know..." He finally threw her off, gasping out at the sensation of her releasing his manhood from her sex.  
"Sherry's escaped." Jake shook his head, throwing G into Sherry's dresser. "No shit, Sherlock. Like I said, tell me something I don't know." Some of Sherry's collectibles fell off the shelf as G grabbed Jake and threw him against the dresser. She lunged to his hips, grabbing his ass in her hands as she went down on him. Jake pressed up against the dresser in fear, trying to back up, pulling out a drawer or two in the process. "God, please don't bite, please don't bite, please don't... Gaaaahhh goddamn it! Fucking bitch!" He came to his senses and pulled away, ripping a drawer out from the dresser to throw at her. It broke open, panties flying through the air. Jake cocked his head, as he shrugged, "Nice..." Then he threw another one at G.

Leon came through the phone again. "Jake, are you okay over there? I'm on my way!" The engine revved again. Jake chuckled. This whole thing was like a bad inside joke.  
"Yeah, I'm built like a tank. Nothin' I can't," She pulled Jake to the ground, straddling him once more. She wrapped her hands around his throat, digging her nails in. Jake was over-whelmed with pleasure and pain as she squeezed her thighs around his. "Fuck! ...handle." He pushed her forward, falling on top of her as he wrestled her hands away. He withdrew and forced her up against the bed. "You crazy fucking bitch..." Jake grabbed her and threw her against the glass closet doors.

"Sounds like you have it under control." Leon sounded like he was enjoying the "conversation." She got up, healing herself from the glass and attacked Jake again. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pinning him to the floor as she mounted him once more. Jake sighed, getting sick of the crazy bullshit that kept happening to him since G came into his life.  
"Yeah hero, take your time..." Jake laid back, wondering if to fight anymore or just let her get it over with. If Leon was on his way, it was best not to just play it out. Jake played along for now, trying to reach some of the fallen pantyhose from the broken drawers. He panted, trying to hold himself back as he kept her distracted.

"Why didn't you call me when she showed up?" Leon barked out.  
"Well, you know me..." Jake chuckled between his pants, he grabbed the pantyhose. "Had to... tie up a few loose ends..." He lifted himself up to a crouch, tying her hands with the pantyhose. She bucked hard and it nearly got him off. She lunged forward and bit his shoulder, drawing blood. "Fuck!" He moaned in pleasure as he barely got the next hose tied around her mouth. All that was left was her feet. "Well, you know where the key is..." He fell forward on her, fighting the pleasure as she struggled to get out from under him. He pulled her ankles up over his head and tied her feet but not before... He groaned in pleasure, collapsing on G, who seemed more than happy to enjoy the moment as well. Jake sighed, crawling out from between her legs rather reluctantly. he cocked his head, admiring his handy work."And, that should about do it... Target diffused."

Jake hung up the phone. He shook his head, cocking it as he pointed at G. "You! Stop raping me for fucks sake! I mean, it's hot an all... but... The biting!" He shook his head again, pointing once more. "You're one crazy ass bitch!" He grabbed the sheet from the bed and wrapped G up like a mummy, using additional pantyhose to secure her. He staggered to his pants, putting them on. His back hurt from being slammed on the dresser. He grunted as he stumbled out into the hall. He heard the front door unlock and stumbled his way along, hunching over in pain and exhaustion, realizing he was still a drunken wreck.

Leon burst through the door, barretta pointed at Jake. Jake pointed to the open bedroom door, attempting to tie the drawstring on his shorts, failing miserably. Leon smirked before entering the bedroom, noticing how drunk Jake still was. "You look good." Jake looked up, still hunching over against the wall.  
"Yeah yeah, shut up and get the bitch out of here, will ya?" Leon reached out a hand to help Jake up. "No hero, I'm good. I'm good. Just, gonna go have a cold shower..." Jake slunk away to the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it behind him.

Leon sighed as he went into the bedroom. The glass on the closet door was broken. The dresser's drawers were all either pulled out of falling out, clothing scattered everywhere. A pair of pantyhose tied around Sherry/G's mouth. She stared up at Leon with her dead eyes, scowling at him. A sheet was wrapped around her like she was a mummy, more pantyhose tied around her to secure her. The sheets on the bed were in disarray, town and thrown about. He sighed again, picking up Sherry as he walked through the hallway. "Jake," he called out, "I'm seriously not going to ask but you know this has to go into a report." Jake called back from the bathroom, shower running.  
"Fuck you, hero. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Leon chuckled. Jake called out again, "I didn't hear a slam so I guess it didn't. Like I said, see you tomorrow."

* * *

**"It's not a walk in the park to love each other but when our fingers interlock, can't deny you're worth it. 'Cause after all this time I'm still into you. I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you. Some things just make sense and one of those is you and I." Still Into You, Paramore**

Jake sat impatiently in the viewing room as he waited for Leon to grab him his 4th black coffee. A wall of glass was all that separated him from the woman he loved. That and the fact that her Mr. Hyde was a psycho, nymphomaniac with a stalker-persona worse than Ustanak. At least Ustanak wanted to kill him. This bitch was trying to fuck his brains out until she spawned the embryos inside of her. Jake shrugged as he thought about it. "It wouldn't be so bad if she'd stop clawing and biting me. I might be a tank but i'm not immortal and sure as fuck don't have that healing factor. Not to mention it hurts like a fucking bitch." Leon was at the door with the coffee. Jake mumbled to himself. "Speaking of fucking bitches..." Leon gave him "the look," cocking his head as he debating throwing the coffee in Jake's face. The fact was, they still needed Jake. So long as Jake was here, Sherry/G wouldn't try to escape. If she had no reason to escape, they wouldn't need to worry about her infecting the city if she did spawn anything. They were trying to keep the situation under wraps but Jake was running out of patience and Sherry was running out of time.

"Yeah, I'm looking at one now." Leon smirked, passing Jake the coffee. Jake wanted to bat it away, to laugh as it burned Leon but even he was on his best behavior. He didn't like Leon when he first met him but he did respect him once he learned how he rescued Sherry as a kid. They also shared a sense of humor. Jake scowled at Leon, making a "Tck" sound as he scoffed. He grabbed the coffee and drank it down boiling hot. Being a mercenary, he was used to having to take it to go straight from a pot on the fire, mucky as shit.  
"At least this is better than camper coffee..." Jake mumbled, taking another gulp back, "That shit grows on you like mold..." Leon took a seat beside Jake, whose eyes were fixed on the sedated Sherry.  
"Sounds like someone I know." Leon smiled softly. He sighed when Jake didn't answer, the situation obviously grim. He looked out through the glass, joining Jake's stare.

Jake glanced around the room, taking note of all the I.V.s and equipment. It reminded him all too well of his ailing mother before she passed. From a young age he learned how to hook up the I.V., how to inject her in the veins if needed. He closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head, trying to get the thoughts to stop. He stared at his drink for a moment before taking the last gulp, thrusting the cup out at Leon for a refill without looking. Leon rolled his eyes and took the mug. Jake continued to scowl, looking around uneasily. "So this is what she went through... In China. Here..." He shook his head again, closing his eyes once more. "Italy..." He sighed loudly, still kicking his own ass for that mission. "Fuckin' mistake calling her in. Shoulda just fought it out on my own." Leon put a comforting arm on Jake's shoulder. Jake scowled at it then returned his gaze to Sherry, not bothering to brush Leon off.  
"Jake. It's not your fault. Everyone does what they have to do when stranded on a mission." Jake looked up from the corner of his eye. Leon was looking out at Sherry but Jake could tell he was lost in a thought. He returned his gaze to Sherry as well.  
"Yeah, hero. It still ain't right."

Jake kicked his feet up to rest on the glass as he watched the monitors. Some scientists were busying around, wearing protective gear for if G got out of her restraints. Sherry was covered with a thin white sheet. The entire environment was so sterile, it literally sickened Jake in his stomach. "This shit reminds me too much of China..." Jake mumbled, rising to his feet as he put on his long winter jacket. He cocked his head, "Dunno bout you hero but I need a smoke." He pushed past Leon's seat, heading to the door. Leon looked at him with a raised eyebrow.  
"Didn't know you smoked, Muller." Jake paused in the doorway, placing his forearm on the upper frame momentarily. Jake shrugged, shaking his head lightly. "I don't. Think I might start today." He hesitated for another moment, trying not to look back at Sherry, then went out the door.

Jake sat on the steps of the DSO, ignoring the no smoking sign. He stared at the butt of the cigarette hanging out of his mouth, cocking his head slightly as he light it. He cupped his hands as the wind licked at the flame. His gloved hands shook slightly in the cold. Jake was used to the weather, coming from a place like Edonia. He shook his head lightly, closing his eyes. This shaking was from all the experiences he had been through with labs. He sucked in the taste of his poison cloud, inhaling deeply before holding it in. He looked out at the streets before him, watching the cloud billow in his view as he let his breath out. He rubbed his gloved hands together, his fingers poking out from the manufactured holes in them. It wasn't really for warmth, more like to keep himself busy as his thoughts ravaged him. He began to flick his lighter open and closed, wishing he had another coffee to combine with his cancer stick.

The people mulled around on the streets, not knowing that this was even a secret government building. Children played in the snow, throwing snowballs at each other, building snowmen, making angels. The things Jake never got to enjoy as a child. He sucked back on the cigarette again, thinking of what G had said to him before he betrayed her.

"Jake, listen to me." She looked backwards, then kissed him again. "There isn't much time. We have to run. I had to do it for you." She darted off as BSAA agents began to move in. Jake looked around, confused. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to turn. She closed her eyes.  
"Sherry? What the fuck is going on?"  
"Stay right there!" A familiar voice. Chris Redfield? Why would she be running from him?  
"Give it up now, Birkin!" Leon? Leon was supposed to come save her.  
"Sherry!" Jake pulled her close to his body as a flash grenade went off. It was too late. His ears were ringing. Her petite frame blurred in front of him.  
"Jake, quick. You have to run. I'll pull them away. Jake! I said run! Go!" Sherry pulled Jake up before he could come to his senses and he scampered after her.  
"Sherry, what did you do?" He pulled her by the arm again. She pushed him off and tried to run. "Goddamn it, answer me!" Another flash bomb.  
"What the fuck, Sherry! Look at me!" He spun her around. She finally paused, opening her eyes slowly. Another grenade, this time, a real one. Jake saw it at the last moment and Sherry was the one to grab him and dive out of the way. They rolled back into the building. He shook his head as he found himself on his back. Her petite frame above him, straddling him as she cradled his head in her arms. They became surrounded by BSAA holding heavy weapons.  
"I'm sorry, Jake. If I didn't do it, we wouldn't have lived. I was trying to protect you. I didn't want them to experiment on you, like they did to me." She opened her eyes to reveal she wasn't Sherry. It was G who had saved Jake. "I swear, she summoned me." She shook her head, looking at all the guns around them. "We've failed you..." She turned to run, slicing through the agents closer to her with her nails, heading for as suicide dive off a cliff.

That was when he had betrayed her. He pulled the knife he had hidden in his boot and threw it into his back. It wasn't meant as a betrayl. He trusted Leon and respected Redfield enough to know that they would try to help her. He knew she wouldn't die from the blade, his blade, that literally stabbed her in the back. He felt the pain as if it was his own, as his heart sank. He had begged them not to kill her. Jake Muller, begging for the life of a woman... A woman that he didn't even know anymore. Jake cursed at the wind then re-lit his cigarette as the wind had blown it out. He couldn't even concentrate on smoking. His lighter was closed between his hands. Somehow even his nervous quirks evaded him.

Sherry had summoned G? If that was true, had his blood worked enough that G wasn't a threat anymore? "No," he shook his head. G had just attacked him again last night. It was a stupid idea that he insisted on being in Sherry's apartment. If G and Sherry knew each other's thoughts like Sherry had stated before, it was a stupid hiding place. Jake didn't think it mattered though. G would just sniff him out like Sherry's father found her in Racoon City. "The calling" was just too strong inside of her to be resisted. All because Jake's blood had saved her life. He scoffed to himself again. He had a feeling they were analyzing his blood right now, trying to see if he was human or not. He did resurrect after being killed, just like his father before him. Only, it was Sherry's blood that saved his life. The same blood that brought "the hunger" within her out of remission.

Sherry and Jake had discovered while imprisoned in Italy that their blood had an effect on each other when crossed. Sherry could heal him momentarily and his anti-bodies had protected her against the T-Veronica virus she was injected with shortly after they crossed their blood. it only worked against the virus because Jake had been injected with the same virus two months prior. His blood also seemed to sooth G, as did his passion with her. Jake looked around at the kids playing in the snow, the happy families going about their busy lives with their boxing day sales and New Years plans. He scoffed again. Normalcy sickened him, more now than ever. He actually found himself jealous. Not at the fact that his childhood was never that happy, nor was Sherry Birkin's. He would give anything for a chance to provide that to Sherry, to allow her to be normal. To be loved and held, to be her companion. Instead here he was, Mr. Mercenary, world saving, Bastard of the Century, Jake Muller. Sucking on a cigarette while she lay in a drug induced coma, waiting for a cure from his blood crossed with the original G-Virus. Sure, Leon's team was tracking Ada Wong, the provider of the sample but nothing was enough.

"Jake?" Someone interrupted his thoughts. Leon. Jake didn't even bother to look up, sucking in another puff. He held his breath again, then let the smoke free from his nostrils, blowing out the last bit with his lips at a slight shake of his head. He looked up at the sky, then back down to the lighter in his hands. "Jake..." Leon spoke softer this time, as if understanding the torment Jake was going through. "I have your blood results. Are you interested?" Jake raised his eyebrow, taking in the last puff of his smoke, savoring it. He blew it out the same as before, then turned to face Leon as he ground the smoke into the stairs.  
"Yeah?" He said disinterestedly, "You aren't arresting me, so..." He stared at the used butt on the floor and began to flick his lighter open and closed.  
"Well," Leon smiled wryly. "It says you're 20% human." Jake didn't even flinch. He pursed his lips lightly, crossing his arms as he stared at the crowd across the street.  
"The other 80?" He looked at Leon from the corner of his eyes, getting annoyed with the smirk on Leon's face."  
"You're 80% bullshit." He shook his head, smiling softly at Jake as he went down a few steps. He held out his hand, ready to help Jake sit up. "C'mon, I bet your ass is freezing out here. I got another two pots of coffee on for you." Jake sighed and shook his head before taking the extended offer. He grabbed Leon and stood up, still not ready to re-enter the building again but going against his own desires. Sherry was in there and he would do anything to have her back again.

* * *

**I feel the night explode when we're together. Emotion overload in the heat of pleasure. Tonight I really need to know. Tell it to my heart. Tell me I'm the only one. Is this r****ally love or just a game? Tell it to my heart. I can feel my body rock every time you call my name. Always feel you near. So say the words I long to hear. I don't want to lose. No, I can't let you go." Tell it to My Heart, Taylor Dayne**

Jake was on his tenth black coffee. He was glad that the C-Virus hadn't left him hungover but he was becoming a nervous wreck as the week stretched on. Leon was debriefing him in the viewing room. Jake couldn't keep his eyes off his girl, waiting for something, anything to happen. "Jake!" Leon's concerned voice snapped him back into reality. "Jake, we only have a few days before we go and we just can't seem to track her long enough to get any kind of recon going. I've exhausted all of my options here. Do you have any contacts that may be in her line of work?" He was staring down at Jake, concern and annoyance displayed on his face. Jake looked up slowly, scoffing. His gaze settled back on Sherry.

"Yeah, I bet I did... Til that bitch... Sorry, her 'clone' turned everyone I knew into J'avo. Why'd ya think I'm an 'ex' merc now?" He shook his head as he got up from his seat, putting hand against the wall. His eyes narrowed as a scowl crossed his face. "You mean to tell me that we have no fucking clue where the fuck this bitch is? Sherry doesn't have time for this shit and neither do I." He slid his fingers slowly down the glass, his face softening as concern grew in his eyes. He sighed, staring down at the floor. "Look, I'm sorry Leon. I just..." Leon shook his head.  
"It's okay, Jake. No one likes what's going on. We'd down a good agent here." Jake shot a sharp glance at Leon, his anger building as he pursed his lips, trying to contain it.

"Enough with that shit." He stared for a moment longer, then sighed again, returning his gaze to Sherry. His voice softened once more. "These fuckers don't even know her. She's just another freak on the menu." He looked to the floor, then over to Leon from the corner of his eye. "You don't even know her." Leon sighed, his hands going to his sides.  
"Okay, you're right. I've been stuck being a field agent for so long... Once I found out she had become an agent, we had grown so far apart..." He sighed, "It's not an excuse but... I thought it was safer if I stayed away, given out history." Jake slammed his palm on the glass, then charged at Leon. He grabbed his shirt and lifted him into the air, slamming him against the glass.  
"You don't have a fuckin' clue, do you hero? The girl views you as her own father. You and Claire...? You two are the only things that kept her going through all that shit that was done to her." He was nose to nose with Leon, staring up, wanting to beat him to a pulp. "And you dare call me a monster?" He shoved Leon as he let him go. He turned around, facing away from the viewing room. "Never giving up, no matter the odds. That's what she said to me. That's what opened my eyes, changed me from the man I was." He shook his head, "Sherry has been through worse than me and look how I turned out. You two..." He pointed at Leon. "You and Claire, you were all she had."

Leon stared at him for a moment, letting Jake cool off before he put his own two cents in. "Jake. I was forced to leave her behind. I had no rights to her, the government spared no time telling me that. I had two options. Leave Sherry with them and be an agent, or die." he shook his head, "I'm sure you know all about having to close people out of your heart to keep yourself from drowning in misery." Jake rolled his eyes, throwing his hand in the air over his shoulder.  
"Yeah, hero. The emo bangs really do suit you. That's kinda your thing, ain't it."

All of a sudden an alarm went off in the room. Jake snapped himself around and pressed his hands to the glass. Sherry was moving. The doctors scattered as they yelled at each other to grab sedatives and commanded the guards to be ready. Jake slammed on the intercom. "Hey! Don't fuckin sedate her. I need to talk to her!" He slammed on the glass as they ignored him. "I said to stop, goddamn it!" He shot a quick glance at Leon who pressed the intercom and spoke up for him. Sherry was under his authority after all.  
"Do as he says. Evacuate the room immediately. We'll prep him for negotiations." Jake furrowed his brow. He shook his head as he bolted through the door, looking for the entrance to the medical ward.  
"Jake." Leon grasped him by the elbow. Jake brushed him off.  
"Sorry, I'm taken, pretty boy." He shot Leon a hard glance. Leon brushed it off with a soft smile.  
"Look, I'm not going to make you go through all the procedure bullshit. You know what she's capable of." He put in the pass codes to release the anteroom door. "When you're ready, just push that green button to enter." He smiled softly with a slight nod, "Good luck." Jake looked down at the floor, then up to Leon's gaze, debating a response.  
"Thanks." He shrugged to himself, speaking out loud. "God knows I need it."

Sherry stirred as Jake approached her, moaning lightly. Her body slithered in it's strange trance she had since G emerged. She opened and closed her hands, pulling on the restraints to the point of breaking her wrists. She her left hand out as Jake approached from the right. "So that's how she got out last time..." He shook his head lightly, a genuine smile across his lips. "My clever girl..." He approached slowly, not knowing which personality was present. She moaned softly, sighing deep breaths as if she was in ecstasy.  
"Jake..." She called out to him, her free hand reaching out to him, grasping at the air. "Where's Jake..." She looked around in a daze, understandable from someone who just brought herself out of a medically induced coma. He paused a few feet from her, watching her from the corner of his eye, afraid to face his nightmares. He took a deep breath, taking in all the equipment with a sweep of his gaze.  
"I'm here, super girl." His soft smile returned. She had called him Jake after all, not that ridiculous nickname. Her gaze slowly met his, a weak smile crossing her lips.  
"My god... I had the worst dream..." She looked down at her restrained hand and feet, the belts tight against the hospital bed she was in. She ripped the I.V. out of her arm.  
"Stop, stop." Jake pleaded softly, putting his hands up in a gesture that matched his words. "It's okay." He sighed, "You are in the DSO." Sherry looked afraid for a moment, then noticed Jake wasn't restrained. She sighed softly, looking at her restrains once more.  
"It's good to be home." She sighed again.

Jake brushed her blonde locks out of her face, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "I missed you, Cheri." He threw on the French accent on the end. She really was his love after all. She looked up softly at him, her eyes heavy from the sedative. She began to cry.  
"Why am I here..." She shook her head, grabbing Jake's hand from her head and pulling it to her cheek. He squeezed her hand gently. She must have forgotten everything from the sedatives.  
"Shhh... It's okay. We're looking for a way to cure your virus." He smiled at her warmly. He was happy to see her for the first time since he came here. "Leon and I are heading out soon after someone with information. In the mean time, they have been keeping you sedated." Jake saw a look of realization on Sherry's face. She paused for a second, gasping softly.

"Oh my God. Jake, I let G..." He watched her, already knowing the answers but allowed her to continue. "I couldn't escape on my own. Chimerys was so fast! I was too weak. I had to let her out." He smiled softly, giving her hand another squeeze as he stroked her hair. He looked over at Leon in the viewing room. Leon was filling out a report from what Sherry was saying. Jake returned his gaze to her. For all he cared, they were the only two in the world once again. "Jake, G said... She says she loves you. She said that there's a chance that because your immunity, any children that resulted from her had a chance to survive as normal beings." He put his hand to his chin, stroking it playfully with his fingers as he furrowed his brows. Sherry noticed it right away. Jake was thinking deeply.  
"Go on." He whispered softly. She paused, watching his face for any reaction. She hated Jake's poker face. He was so random. She could never tell what lay behind those eyes yet he could read her like a book.  
"Jake, she didn't want you to be experimented on. She helped me save us." She stared up at the ceiling, instinctively tugging on her restraints. "I'm sorry, Jake. i trusted her. She told me that she was just an extension of me, what I would have been if my mother didn't give Claire a way to make an antidote. Without Leon and Claire." Jake wanted to scoff at the mention of Leon now but he held the urge back, pursing his lips as his gaze shot over to Leon. He looked back down at Sherry, giving her a deep kiss. He withdrew, gazing into her eyes for a moment too long as they always did.

"Sherry, I have to go now." He let go of her hand but she snatched it back.  
"Wait, what?" Her eyes were wide, searching for a reason in his.  
"Sherry, you have to tell G to co-operate here. She can't be beating people up and killing agents. It seems my blood is wearing off and G is getting stronger." He shook his head, closing his eyes. "We don't have much time to track down anyone with information about the G-Virus. if only our father's work survived." The words were bitter in his mouth. He frowned, Sherry sharing the same expression. He cocked his head, "Unfortunately, that's what we needed to find out how to stop this thing." He shook his head again, tearing his eyes away from her. "I have to go."

Sherry's nails dug into him as he pulled away, that sick echo in her voice. G. Jake's eyes widened as he snapped his head towards her. The glass eyes watched him as he hesitated. "I love you..." Her voice sent ripples of joy and pain simultaneously through him. "Who is it you want to save. Me? Or her." Jake looked away, speaking softly.  
"What kind of fucked up question is that...?" He looked at the floor momentarily, then up at the ceiling before shaking his head. "I gotta go."  
"No!" G cried out. "Please, don't leave me here." Desperation was on her face. He could see that scared, twelve year old girl's look on her face. Leon noticed it, too. He had his hand up against the wall. His clipboard fell from his hand as the papers fluttered around him to the floor. "Jake..." She whispered, "I'm scared..." He hesitated, then looked at her again.

"Sherry... G... Look. I need to save you or you'll both die." He leaned in and kissed her softly. It wasn't like anything he had done with G before. It was soft, sensual. Her lips parted gently as his tongue asked for permission, sucking her full bottom lip softly as he licked her thinner top one. His body felt the thrill of passion as she accepted the kiss, pulling him in with her one free hand gently behind his neck. After a long moment, he realized what he had done and pulled away. Her head instinctively leaned towards him, her lips searching for his as she slowly opened her eyes. Jake hesitated, nose to nose with her, staring at her pout and the soft features of her skin, wondering what he was doing. He shook his head, pulling away as she grabbed him by the collar.  
"G," He whispered her name softly like a lost lover, "I have to go. I need to save you somehow." G reluctantly let go, allowing Jake another moment of hesitation. She gently stroked his face, her nails softly tracing the line of his scar. He closed his eyes, relishing the moment for whatever it was. He pulled away, pausing as he hit the doorway to glance over his shoulder one last time. Her eyes were still on him, her gaze unwavering as he left with a final soft, "Good bye."


	12. Broken glass 2 of 2

**"And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed. They say it's my fault but I want her so much. Wanna fly her away where the sun and rain come in over my face, wash away all the shame. I can try to pretend, I can try to forget but it's driving me mad, going out of my head." All the Things She Said, t.a.t.u.**

Jake trudged along in the muddy canal. He had spent two days in this shitty hellhole. Where? He didn't really give a fuck. All he knew is that it took twelve hours to fly there and time was running out. The DSO's intel got them this close to Ada and yet she was nowhere in sight. Leon and Jake were making their way through a storm drain, trying to find a way into the facility above them. There was some bio-weapon "product" inside that they knew she would want. Really, the whole thing was a set up that the DSO had been working on for the past year. They knew from Simmon's files about Carla and Ada, the former dead and the latter at large. Unlike Sherry and G, the two were completely separate people.

Jake and Leon were undercover, trying to work with mercenaries to guard the facility. The assault rifle in his hand was starting to piss him off. For a man of action, Jake greatly preferred a 909 and his bare hands. Hell, he'd even take a crowbar over carrying around weapon upon weapon. He was sick of this lifestyle. One thing kept him going. Sherry. G. He was beginning to have trouble separating the two. He was paired with some rookie dipshit American kid that just couldn't shut the fuck up. The kid whose name he didn't give a shit to remember, as usual, kept prying for information.

"Look kid," Jake scoffed. His partner shot him a glance of disgust. He was easily Jake's age or older. Jake shrugged, cocking his head as they continued on. "Doncha know when you throw your wallet pictures around, talking about your bitch back home, you're the first to die."  
"And?"  
"Second, you're half black and half Mexican. " Jake threw his hands out, a huge smirk on his face as he cocked his head, "You're definitely going first." The kid pointed his weapon at Jake, shaking his head, being a wise-ass himself.  
"God, of all the crazy bastards in this business, I get stuck with the token white-racist white guy." Jake sighed.  
"Hey, that's a pretty racist remark in itself. I'm not though, I'm a bigot. I hate everyone equally." They snickered at each other for a moment. Gunfire broke out up ahead. A smile crossed Jake's lips as his eyes twinkled full of trouble. "About fuckin' time..." Jake had to be honest with himself. He had enough drama in the past two weeks to last him a lifetime. he kinda missed "the Gauntlet." The anteroom to his holding cell at his last shitty mission. Everyday there was something new in there to kill him, strengthening his abilities, enhancing his senses.

Jake would kill for that right now, to leave everything behind. Sherry. Leon. The drama of the world. Life was so much simpler when you were a cold-blooded murder-for-hire. Since Sherry came along, he was distracted. More and more every day since they met back up, after all the drama that occurred from their escape from China to their last goodbye, things became complicated. He and Leon never got the chance to discus what happened in the medical ward of the DSO. They had twelve hours of awkward silence on the plane flight, going their separate ways at the merc recruit meeting, pretending to not know each other. Jake spoke in his native tongue, Leon posed as a Canadian. They reported in every 6 hours to each other when they could, Leon forwarding all of it to Hannigan.

The one thing Jake didn't get? Leon kept showing him this knowing look. He didn't judge Jake at all. Maybe Leon just thought Jake was warming up to G, accepting her as a part of Sherry. Jake? He didn't know what the fuck he was doing anymore. The kiss was unintentional. He had a hate for staring into the eyes of the dead. After his mother's death and the lives he took? Something pulled him to her though. Could it be the virus within him? He shook his head. He was immune to nearly every virus known to man, including the G-Virus. Now he knew why he stayed out of trouble with women all these years the way he used to around. the C-Virus didn't replicate though. The only one known to do that he know of was the G-Virus. Sherry was only able to use it to heal him because it was constantly changing and adapting in her body. She only did it twice that they knew of, two months apart and before she became G.

Jake tried to clear his mind, distracted by his dilemma. It may have all been a figment of his imagination. Being with Sherry/G was like dating a two-headed twin. Each know how the other felt about him, each knew what he did with them. It was the worst combination of having two girlfriends that knew about each other. Sherry just wanted to comfort him. G on the other hand, was becoming jealous and possessive on top of her list of personality disorders.

Jake and his partner reached a cross join in the piping. He looked over the edge cautiously. They could only hop across from here, the angle too steep to go up or down. The fighting echoed down the pipe as Jake tried to pinpoint the location. He gave hand signals for his partner to cover him as he jumped over the barrier. Too late. Someone swung out on a grapple gun from the top pipe, kicking the black "kid" in the face. She aimed her gun at him, firing a round off in his face with a silenced SIG, then slept her leg into a quick barrel kick, relieving Jake of his weapon. Jake leaned back as the kick returned towards his face. He knew that face anywhere. Dressed in red blouse with tight-fitting dress pants. She cracked a smile for a brief moment as she took aim. "You can cover up that scar all you want pretty boy," she teased him with that sultry voice of hers, "but I never forget a face."  
"Likewise."

Jake cocked his head, his finger on the trigger of his 909, pointing straight at her. He hesitated for a brief moment, thinking back to Carla and China. Carla had put Jake and Sherry through a lot of torture and testing. He still found it hard to separate the two. He hesitated for a brief moment, thinking of where Sherry was right now, in another white room, another medical lab. Ada took advantage. She flipped forward at him, kicking his weapon away. He grabbed her leg, forcing her to the ground. She twisted in the air, wrapping her legs around him going into a Frankenstien. He grabbed her knees, prying them off of him then slipped his hands to her slender thighs. Ada took him into a roll as she continued to flip backwards into the move, trying to slip her legs free in a counter. Jake accepted the roll, grabbing her by the shoulder and throwing her over him into the sewers she had come from.

He paused to admire his handy work, taking aim with his 909 as the bitch sent off her grapple. He quickly slipped his weapon into it's holster while leaping up at her. He wrapped her arms around her, clearing the distance and rolling into the next tunnel. "Jake!" A voice called from where they had came. Leon. He shrugged to himself, cocking his head as before he rolled backwards into a throw, sending Ada flying towards Leon.  
"She's all yours!" He smirked, "Hope you play ball!" Ada crashed into Leon and they went rolling further down the tunnel. Jake closed the gap once more, jogging to catch up with the pair.

"Leon." Leon and Ada were locked in an embrace. She flushed slightly, as she called out his name. Leon's face reddening far more than hers.  
"Nice to see you again, Ada." He smiled softly at her as Jake approached, his assault riffle back in his hands. He raided an eyebrow, scoffing at the pair.  
"Well, aren't you peas in a pod." He shook his head, pacing as Leon helped Ada up. "Don't forget, hero. Business before pleasure." Jake now understood that look Leon had given him earlier, from their body language. He was obviously sleeping with the enemy as well. "Anytime now is good, before this place is swarmed with the real mercenaries." He walked back over to the black "kid" and bent to one knee. He closed his eyes, feeling guilty that another person he was starting to like got wiped out in this little adventure of his. He shook his head. This was the life of a mercenary and he knew that. It wasn't his fault the kid was here. He was just glad he didn't die by a bullet.

"Jake, I'll meet you at the extraction point. I'll call the chopper." Jake looked over to Leon, his face full of disgust as Leon reported in to Hannigan. As soon as he was off the line, Jake exploded.  
"Seriously? Gotta make time to fuck her, too?" He threw his hands out in defiance. "For some reason, I thought you were better than that, hero." He shook his head, raising his gun. "Boy, the bangs do hide a lot, don't they."  
"Jake." Leon held his hands out in protest. "ETA 3 minutes, copy? I will be there." Jake pushed past him, sighing loudly.  
"Yeah, whatever playboy, just don't forget there's a life at stake here. Wouldn't want to add yours to the list by my hands..."

Jake waited in the chopper. Leon was running a minute late. He pursed his lips, staring at the cargo doors. It had taken him twenty minutes to reach the extraction point, jogging. He cleared the way for Leon and Ada to get to the rendezvous in the process. He sure as hell wasn't going back to drag blondie back here. He let him AR slump to the seat as he took it off, sighing in frustration, then began to pace. Even one minute too long pissed him off. He couldn't wait to get back to Sherry and finally solve this shit. Leon strolled in a few minutes later. Jake whipped himself around to meet as the cargo door closed, bracing himself as the chopper took off. He whispered loudly under the vehicle's hum, trying not to let the pilots hear their conversation. At least they were alone.

"You wanna tell me what the hell was that?" He grabbed Leon with his free hand, shoving him into the chopper's side as he whispered loudly in his ear. "Ooh, looks like I'm not the only one sleeping with the enemy." He cocked his head as he gritted his teeth, Leon pushing him away. Jake let go, throwing his hand out in the air. "At least your encounter seemed consensual." He sighed, calming down as he shook his head, pointing. "You ditched me." Leon stared right past Jake and out the window as he took a seat.  
"Yeah. I'm sorry, Jake." Jake slumped down into the uncomfortable seat against the window, opposite to Leon. He bulled one foot up as he tried to get comfortable.  
"And?" He gestured with his hands as he slightly shook his head. "Anything?" Jake was pissed. Leon didn't even arrest Ada. Leon sighed, looking down at his own feet.  
"No." Jake went quiet for a brief moment, shaking his head at Leon's response.  
"What the fuck do you mean no? This was a total fucking waste of time?" He was yelling now. He stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders back. Deciding it wasn't the time or the place to fight Leon about this, he pressed his back to the chopper wall, sighing audibly. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, crossing his arms as he faced his body in line with the chopper, away from Leon and stared out the window. Leon gave him a look that would probably have a speech about not smoking in government vehicles and bad it was to smoke on a chopper. "Yeah, Diplomatic Immunity." Jake pocketed his lighter, blowing the smoke out of his nostrils before puffing the last of it out into an O, shaking his head slightly as he let it rest on the back of the chopper. He pointed to his dick, not bothering to throw Leon a glance. "Suck it."

The whole ride back went like that, Jake ignoring Leon's glances, savoring a cancer stick. Awkward silence was something that always seemed to comfort Jake now. He was always a loner and silence was his best friend. After meeting Sherry? Silences weren't so great anymore. He was left alone in his head too often these days. The thrill of a fight didn't just keep him entertained, it kept his minds from drifting to the bullshit. Leon noticed the glance.  
"Look, Jake." Ignored. "When you open your heart to people, you have to take the bullshit that comes along with the main course. Been there, done that." Jake continued to ignore him, the words sinking in. It was true but he didn't have to like it.  
"Real deep, hero." He lit another one, sparing only a brief glance. He realized Leon was the same, his respect returning to the man. The pilot called back to them.  
"ETA 10 minutes, Washington DC."

* * *

**"What? Is that all you got to say? What? What? You're rubbing me the wrong way. See your lips moving but I don't catch a word you say. Shut up your chatter. I need for you to go away. I can't even hear me now all your noise is messing with my head. You're in my head. Get outta my head." Get Out of My Head (Ay ya ya), Ashley Simpson**

**Sorry guys, I like that song LOL /does the Ashley Simpson Jig**

Jake brushed past security and procedures. He had one thing on his mind. Sherry. He remembered the way back to the medical bay, somewhere he came to knew so well as he slept here most nights now, just staring at his beauty from the glass. Too much time had passed and he was getting more nervous by the minute. He pounded the pass into the keypad, entering the anteroom. He pressed the green button, then kicked out all of the staff. "Get the fuck out of here before I abuse my rights." He yelled at the last resistant guard, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him off the floor. The guy nodded and Jake let him go roughly. Once they were alone, Jake grabbed an office chair. He threw his leg over the back as he straddled it in reverse, kicking off to roll himself to Sherry's side. He was well aware Leon was now in the viewing room, staring them down. He sighed then gave Leon the finger. He gestured for him to leave. Leon complied.

Jake looked at the equipment, the white sterile walls... Everything reminded him of China. He sighed, crossing his arms over the back of the chair and leaning against it. His forehead rested on Sherry's thigh. They had put additional restrains on her. He knew G was a handful. She must have sensed he was in danger and went bat-shit crazy again. He pouted as he let her scent sink into his nostrils, enjoying her smooth skin against his forehead. He rubbed his forehead slightly against her like a kitten, then kissed her softly. It was nice to be alone again, even if it was like this. It was something Jake was used to with his mother, being there to play the piano, to sooth her soul as she was confined in her body like a prisoner. He looked up to check her vitals, then noticed the marble eyes gazing at him softly. G.

"You came back?" She whimpered softly. He looked into those dead eyes, for once feeling it as a comfort. He spoke softly to her.  
"Yeah, I'm here, G." He addressed her as she was, G, not Sherry. He was beginning to accept this new reality. If he loved Sherry, he'd love her completely. He couldn't stand to have a love-hate relationship and G couldn't be just lust for him. It just wouldn't be right to Sherry. Besides, he was starting to really crush on her. It wasn't that she looked like Sherry and was Sherry, it's that her words from when she saved him were so pure and innocent, so unlike G. There was no double-motive and Sherry had accepted G as a part of herself. It only made sense if Jake did it too.  
"For me?" Her jealousy was returning as she dug her nails into the sheet, "Or her." Her dead eyes filled with tears of blood, they rinsed down her cheek. Jake noticed the spots on the white sheers now, altering patterns of water droplets and blood. Both of them had missed him.

"Yeah." He nodded, pacifying her for now. "I have to accept I have two girls, even if you two don't get along." He smiled softly, letting his humor soften for once. "Best kind of mistress relationship." G smiled, snickering at her lover. They stayed there quietly for a while, Jake fully aware of the cameras watching him. He shook his head, not believing they'd record everything that went on. Sherry's didn't need home movies it seemed. Everything since Raccoon City was probably well documented.  
"What's wrong?" She watched him as her dead eyes filled with worry. He wiped away the blood from her cheeks, no being disgusted by it in the slightest.  
"Nothin." He replied softly, "Just glad to be here, with you." He looked her over. Even like this, Sherry was beautiful. He smiled softly again, "Just getting to know you."

Over the next few hours, he had a new fondness for the "monster" inside of Sherry. She really wasn't so bad now that she was restrained. Something had changed in her since Jake had left. He found himself falling for her, not just for Sherry. Jake closed his eyes as he put his forehead against her leg once more. She had fallen back into her induced sleep. He questioned his sanity at the possibility of falling in love with two and the same being. If he didn't find a cure for Sherry, they would never let her have a normal life again, if you could call her life normal. If there was little hope for them before, the chance was a dream at this point. He wondered if he could get used to this, working as a DSO Agent, gaining the authority to supervise her, possibly moving her to a private facility. This was all too much and too crazy for him. He sighed deeply, wanting to run to the ends of the Earth.

He called Leon, letting telling him he was okay with the scientists returning. He turned on his MP3 player, putting the ear buds in his ears. Nothing he did could calm his thoughts. He tried drowning it out with the music but everything reminded him of her. He had to keep his hands busy. He left her side for another smoke, finding Leon outside on the steps. Leon was staring out on the street, leaning up against the wall. The snow fell lightly on the streets that never seemed to be empty. Leon shot him a knowing, sad glance. Jake smiled back warmly for a change, watching the snow. "You too, huh?" Jake sighed, watching the people go about their lives on the street as he sunk to the ground, lighting up.  
"Yeah." Leon replied, his hands shuffling in his pockets. Jake stood up by kicking his feet out three steps below. He pushed off the steps and marched out onto the street. It was New Years eve. Leon called out softly. "Hey! Just where you goin?" Jaked paused briefly, looking at Leon over his shoulder. Jake sighed, his hands digging into his pockets for another smoke. He had two going in his mouth as he lit up, cocking his head as his hands cupped the lighter. He slipped it into his pocket before continuing on.  
"Anywhere but here."

Jake found himself at his fourth bar for the night. He had hit the pubs early, trying to drown his sorrows as he wasted the cash he was given as living expenses. Bitch waitress kicked him out for having too much. He decided he'd hit a club as it was now dark. There were so many bars in this place, he smiled to himself, "No wonder politicians drink and cheat." He shook his head, entering some swanky place in his Jeans and black top, puffy jacket exaggerating his tall frame. The bouncers stepped in front of him as he cut the line. Jake stared them down through his shades.  
"Are you on the list?" They eyed his scar, scowling at him.  
"Yeah." Jake said cooly, a smirk tugging his lips as he cracked his knuckles, palms to the floor. "Or you're on my list." He pushed past them, ladies swooning as they froze their asses in too-tiny dresses with fluffy coats. He sat in the VIP, another night, another drunken stupor. He brought a couple girls over to Sherry's, then decided to slam the door on them, just for fun as they called him a prick for seducing them. He frowned. It was nice to have a little no-strings-attached attention again but he couldn't get his mind off the women he left in that sterile room at the DSO. He adjusted himself in his pants as he unzipped them, stumbling his drunk ass to the shower. It was another night for a cold shower.

**A lil fan service? Maybe not this time. :)**

* * *

**When (s)he comes to me I am ready. I'm just a fool, (s)he's so cruel but I'm still in love with Judas, baby. (You are) my virtue, (she) is the demon I cling to." Judas, Lady Gaga**

Jake continued to visit Sherry/G. daily. It had now been two weeks since the rescue and still no vaccine. All Jake had as a pacifier was the assurances that they were working as hard as they can to cure her, testing her genes with the vaccine so no precious serum wasted. They continued to inject Sherry with his blood while Leon tracked down information from Tricell and Umbrella about the shots Wesker would use to pacify his own out-of-control virus before his death at the hands of Chris Redfield.

The conversation flowed freely with G. All she wanted was Jake by her side, comforting her tortured soul. Jake realized she was the full embodiment of all the things that could have gone wrong for Sherry. In a way, she was like Jake. She was the lonely, abandoned child from Raccoon City that believed her parents didn't love her. They spent all their time researching the G-Virus, only to have it destroy their daughter's teen years and young adulthood. She was jealous, sensitive, defiant. Her personality made Jake comfortable with her deathly looking eyes and tears of blood. He accepted her for who she was, the troubled creation of the G-Virus and a shitty childhood that rivaled his own, full of torture at the hands of the very people she was now under the care of.

The awkward silences with Sherry, once a great comfort that brought Jake joy, began to torture him. Sherry was aware of G's budding relationship with Jake, choosing to act nonchalant and reclusive. She pushed him away only to encourage G to pull him in. He realized that to truly know a person, things had to go way beyond the shared near-death experienced. He questioned his heart at every turn, Sherry crushing him while G released all of his anxiety with her sweet words, cooing with that strange otherworldly voice as she whispered to him like a lullaby. He questioned if she was just seducing him, a product of the G-Virus but he couldn't help but fall for it mercilessly.

Jake spent a few days alone. With no cure in sight, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He marched down to the DSO, a week after New Years Day bypassing all the security protocols. They knew they could handle the son of Wesker if need be. They all knew Jake would disobey them anyways. As he entered the medical ward, the scientists and guards willing gave him the space to be alone with her. "Big mistake." He cocked his head, grinning as he tapped into the computer, carelessly left open by one of the scientists he had been intimidating all week. He took the opening and unlocked Sherry's restrains electronically. He pulled out all of her I.V.'s and got her dressed in the clothes he brought from the Duffel bag he carried with him.

Sherry awoke in his arms at the sound of alarms. Jake punched and kicked security and agents left and right, setting off flash grenades as necessary. He had raided their armory while she was unconscious on his back. Leon had made a mistake bringing him here, letting him have the free range. Jake had a photographic memory for places he had been. Sherry looked around warily as he slung her back onto his shoulder, rushing out into the cold. The wet snow and cold wind startled her completely awake as he dashed out of the door, kicking two more officers. He slung her down into his arms as he mounted his motorcycle, a stupid vehicle for in the snow but his preferred vehicle none the less.

She found herself wrapped tightly in a blanket, fading in and out of sleep at the sound of the engine purring. He took her to an abandoned factory he has sighed on one of his nights out. She awoke in his arms, the night pitch black as the wind and snow spiraled magically down from cracks in the windows. "Jake? What's? What's going on?" She tried to push herself up and off of him but he pressed her back down onto his chest. He sat up, cuddling her in his arms as he pushed his back against the cold brick wall. Her head nuzzled against his shoulder, afraid to meet his gaze. "Jake?"

"Sherry." He hung his head, his eyes closed. "I couldn't take it anymore. I accept you as you are. The good, the bad, the flaws. I needed to get you out of there." His intense blue eyes filled with tears as he looked at her soft, angelic face. He kissed her softly, accustomed to her withdrawn behavior over the past two weeks. He took a deep breath before continuing, spilling the typical runaway lover's story. "We can start a new life. G is intelligent enough to do that. I'll hunt B.O.W.s for money, be a merc again. You can both be by my side that way." He smiled softly as he tilted her chin to face him. "I can protect you better than them, you know that." He kissed her softly but she pulled away without a word, looking out at the snow drifting from the high, arched windows. "Sherry, what kind of life is that, strapped to a table like a monster."

Sherry pushed him away, stumbling out of his arms, slapping his hands away as he reached for her. "Jake, stop." She cried. "You know they have a tracker on me right? Did you really think they'd let me slip under the radar again?" She shook her head. "I... I can't believe you did this! How did you think we could escape? Where would we go?" She kept trying to pull herself up from the floor, her muscles weakened from being restrained for so long. He scooped her up again as she stopped resisting, shivering from the cold. He wrapped her back up in the blanket, holding her close as his body warmed her from the cold. She began to cry into his chest when he said nothing. He finally sighed, answering as he stared off at nothing in particular.

"Mexico? Was going to cross through Panama, possibly into South America. We could make our way to Europe after that." Sherry began to hyperventilate as she cried. Jake lifted himself off the ground, heading towards the stairs. "Sherry, we have to go if you're being tracked. Leon has national jurisdiction, doesn't he?" She protested as he carried her, leaving the abandoned factory. He could already hear sirens.  
"Oh Jake, you fool. There's more than Leon to worry about. What about the BSAA? You just stole a B.O.W." Jake put her to her feet, getting angry as he held her tightly against him to support her.  
"Is that all you think of yourself? Is that what you really are? What the fuck did Uncle Sam ever do for you?" He growled, baring his teeth in anger. She stared up at him, her eyes pooling with tears. His phone rang. The stupid DSO phone. He had forgotten all about it in his haste. He answered it reluctantly, Leon's name popping up on the screen. "Muller."

"Jake, stay the fuck away from her, you hear me? I'm giving you two minutes to get your crazy ass on the next flight to Edonia. Is that understood?" Leon was pissed. The only time Jake had heard that tone was when Leon had wanted to press Sherry for information on Simmons, her old boss that caused the Bio-Terror attacks in China and Tall Oaks. Jake closed the phone, the sirens getting louder. He dropped it, crushing it beneath his feet. He glanced at the motorcycle, then at the pretty blonde, still pressing against him for warmth in the snow.  
"Sherry, you need to decide now. Is it this life? Or me." Sherry's tears flowed freely as she pulled away from him, backing up onto the stairs of the building.  
"Jake... They have the cure. They told me about it this morning but I had to talk to you first." He cocked his head, raising an eyebrow.  
"What?" He pointed at her, "You knew this and yet you said nothin to me this whole time I was rambling like a jackass." He pinched his nose and began to pace. Sherry shook her head, shaking with emotion as she yelled into the night.

"I'm not going, Jake. This is too complicated." Jake scoffed, giving her his dirtiest scowl.  
"Fine. You know what, I was starting to like G better than you anyways. At least she talks to me, tells me how she feels." The words were bitter in his mouth as he watched himself shatter her heart. He continued though, pointing as he said what was really on his mind. "I thought you were my salvation. Sweet, kind, confidant. Now I just see a pathetic little brat afraid she's going to disappoint her 'daddy.' That is what Leon is to you, right?" She reached out to him, whispering his name as he voice cracked with tears. "Save it!" He turned from her and hopped onto his bike. "Go ahead and kill her, like you're killin' m.e. I'll never be what you want." He shook his head as he revved the engine, casting one last look as he was about to tell her where to go.

That's when he noticed Sherry gripping her stomach in pain. The tears in her eyes were not just from her heart breaking, it was something more. She always hid what was wrong. Why didn't Jake see it in her eyes this time? He always knew when something Sherry needed encouragement or a squeeze from his hand. He was being blinded by his own emotions and desperation. She gasped a few times, then fell to the ground. He knocked his bike over as he jumped off of it, catching her before she could hit the floor. "Oh my god, Sherry? What's wrong?"  
"Jake..." She cried out, "G is gone, okay?" She shook her head, gasping out against the pain, pressing on weakly. "They can't give me the vaccine. G's been gone for two days. I wanted... to talk to you... first." His bright blue eyes pierced her own blue-grey ones as they held each other for a moment, Sherry's body going limp in his hands before she could say the words he already knew. It had been two nearly three weeks since they had consummated their relationship, officially and from when he submitted to G. He stared at her, his face going pale as his mind went blank. She breathed heavily in his arms against the pain, unconscious as he shook her lightly, calling her name.

Leon's vehicle approached. It was just him, no other authority figures. Maybe he thought he could reason with Jake. Maybe he though Jake would have actually left her there. Leon must have known about this. Jake ran towards his vehicle, shouting for help. "Leon!" Leon ran out of the car, opening the back door as they gently placed Sherry inside. Leon got into the driver's seat. Jake opened the passenger door, a gun facing him as he sat down. Leon cocked his head, shaking with anger. "I should put you down like the dog you are." He pressed the gun to Jake's temple, lightly squeezing the trigger, holding himself back. "Get the fuck out." Jake put his hands up in surrender.  
"Please, Leon. I didn't know. I couldn't see her chained to a table anymore." Leon took a few deep breaths, then dropped the gun to his lap. Jake slammed the door shut as they raced back to the lab at the DSO.

Jake climbed himself awkwardly into the backseat of the vintage Crown Victoria. It's sirens blazed as he lay in the back seat, snuggling Sherry, bracing her against the top speed and hard turns. She cried out a few times in her sleep, her forehead soaked with sweat. "Leon. I dunno if she's going to make it."  
"I'm going as fast as I can!" Leon cursed at the sight of Jake in his rare-view mirror. Jake ignored the rage, brushing Sherry's hair from her face.  
"The vaccine." He started awkwardly, looking up at Leon in the mirror. "Why can't she have it?"  
"Because Jake, if you came into the briefing tomorrow morning like I asked, instead of pulling this stunt, you'd know that she's pregnant." Jake's eyes went wide. He felt it but realization was kicking in now. Why was she in so much pain.  
"It's G's embryo's, isn't it." Leon sighed heavily, hesitating, then he looked up and answered before looking back at the road.  
"Yeah." He shook his head lightly as he sped down the road. "I lied to you. Ada gave me some research files. It's possible that with your blood, she's carrying both G-Embryos and a normal embryo." Jake looked down at Sherry, his face stoic as he saw her eyelids flickering with pain. Her whimpers stung his heart as his tears rolled down onto her face. He had done this to her.  
"I'm the father." He whispered, "Sherry said she had to talk to me. It's to give her the vaccine and destroy the embryos at the expense of us killing our unborn child, right?" He shook his head, not wanting to believe a word from his own mouth. Leon hesitated again before answering, the silence killing Jake.  
"Yeah."

"So, do it? What the fuck are you guys waiting for?" He growled at Leon, baring his teeth before setting his gaze back on Sherry. Leon could see how torn Jake was. He was relieved that Jake really did care for Sherry.  
"Jake. You may be the father but that was against your will. Sherry has known for a week. We were just waiting to see if her HCG would spike. That would tell us if it's a human pregnancy or not. G-Embryos don't show up on regular blood pregnancy tests... A human would."  
"See, that's where you go wrong with me, Leon." He shook his head, "Despite what happened with G, Sherry and I consummated our relationship. I'd rather kill whatever is inside her than lose her." His voice cracked as his tears continued to wash Sherry's face. "I love her."

* * *

**"That part of me left yesterday. The heart of me is strong today. No regrets I'm blessed to say. The old me is dead and gone away." Dead and Gone, T.I. ft J.T.**

**Notes: Wow, Leon drove a vehicle without an accident wtf? Should have made Jake drive. That would make more sense. XD Talk about OOC ;) Yes, every 3rd fanfic has Sherry pregnant for Jake... or is a crazy cat lady... but... how do they all end? Where do they go from here?**

Also, I've had issues over the past two days with saving over with the wrong document. Wondering if they screwed something up in an update? I've never done it before and it's been happening for 24 hrs and now I've overwritten about 4 chaps. I was ok with losing the first book but now the second that took me forever to write recaps? I'm really upset. I didn't have backups.

Just when Jake had made the biggest decision of his life, to go on the run with the woman he loved. Here he was, back in the DSO, volunteering to press the press the plunger for the vaccine that may end Sherry's life or the life of their unborn. If the vaccine didn't take her life, it could take her healing factor with it, leaving her vulnerable if she continued her career path. He hesitated, watching all of her vitals on the machines as they beeped and flashes. His eyes fell on the emergency equipment that was pulled out around the room for the procedure should anything go wrong. Leon stood beside him, nodding at him reassuringly.

If Sherry lost her ability to heal herself, Jake would leave. She'd no longer be safe around him for sure. With all the crazies after his blood, Sherry was better in the hands of the DSO, living a life of normalcy. He smiled softly but his eyes grew distant as he became lost in his mind. He held his thumb over the plunger, a last moment to decide if he was doing the right thing. Normalcy, that's what he wanted for her. A life where she wasn't on the run, wasn't forced into danger because of him. A life where she could fall in love, get married, have children. He wanted that for her. It was okay that she wasn't immortal. Who would want to see all your loved ones die, generation after generation, only to still be the only one. He didn't want loneliness for her anymore. It was his choice to make an end to her old life of pain, suffering, solitude. Jake made his choice, pushing down on the plunger.

Jake stepped back, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He noticed it had run down his cheeks. No. That was his tears. He turned and walked out of the room, heading to the familiar front steps of the DSO. The night was clear now, the snow settled on the ground. He watched as a few people still scurried around on the silent streets, vehicles passing by every now and then. Normalcy. Jake never knew the word. He slunk down onto the steps, the cold seeping into him as he shuddered against the wind. He hadn't even put on a jacket. He blanked out for a while, staring at the streets. When he came to, he was still sitting on the stairs but his jacket was around his shoulders, a blanket wrapped around him. Leon sat silently beside him, watching the streets. He was the only person Jake knew besides Sherry that understood the idea of normalcy as a disturbing thought.

The sun was coming up. Jake thanked Leon for the blanket. Leon gave him a nod in response, then headed back inside. "Wait." Jake called out, still looking out at the street, the traffic starting to build. Leon dusted the snow off of himself as he paused, waiting for Jake to speak. Jake shook his head. "Never mind." Leon stared at him for a moment, then put his hand on his shoulders knowingly.  
"So far, Sherry's stable. The embryos are disappearing from view, probably reabsorbing into her body." He smiled frowned softly. "That means she will probably keep her healing factor but that depends on if the virus adapts again. " He left once more, opening the door when Jake stopped him again.

"Our baby?" He nearly whispered, closing his eyes as he shuffled his feet nervously in the snow, letting it fall off of his boots. It was cold on the step but Jake could no longer feel anything, not even the warm sun rising on his face. Leon shook his head in response.  
"I don't know, Jake. It's too early to tell. Most women don't even know they are pregnant at this stage unless they are actively being monitored for fertility. According to how it's calculated, she's not even 5 weeks yet. It's really too small to see anything still. The heart starts at around 6 weeks, the easiest time to see it is after 8 they said." He put his hand on Jake's shoulder briefly. "Just hang in there. The best thing they can do right now is read her HCG numbers. If it continues to rise, we're in business." He didn't want to say the inevitable. "Let's just hope for 10 fingers and 10 toes." He gave Jake's shoulder a slight squeeze and went inside.

Jake blew his relationship with the DSO. He was now only allowed in for an hour a day with Sherry, under heavily armed supervision. The more the two waited for a heartbeat, the more distant they became. He hardened his heart, starting to give up hope as the numbers grew unstable. Sherry continued to become more reclusive, the awkward silences growing unnerving. Jake found himself spending visits in the viewing room or on the stairs of the DSO.

Sherry was now at seven and a half weeks. Leon reported the news to Jake as he became unable to face Sherry anymore. "The baby is to be seven and a half weeks but hasn't developed past five and a half. They won't let Sherry see an ultrasound because they don't expect a heart beat to develop anymore." Jake got up slowly from his chair and returned to the stairs of the DSO, his masochistic place of solitude. Sherry's place, now fixed up from the fight with G, just reminded him of her too much. He got kicked out of a few parks for being mistaken for a bum. He lit up a cigarette as he found himself in a motel room. He had spent the last week here with a shitty tv and a shittier bed. Even for a mercenary this place was a shithole. None of it mattered to him though. Without sherry the entire world was a shithole.

A few days passed since he left the hotel. He had spent those days drunk, in a bar or on the floor of his place. He was barely sober when he got the call that pulled him out of his own little world. Finally, very faint heart beat. He smiled softly. He was becoming a father. Despite what was going on with him and Sherry, they would get through this. He wouldn't be his father. No, Jake would be the father he never had. He would continue to love Sherry. He would give in to working a nine to five. He would do anything for his child. Still, they wouldn't allow them to see ultrasounds and the couple told to prepare for the worst.

Now Jake spent his day browsing the malls for baby things, wondering when he'd know if to buy pink or blue. He was full of joy again. Jake Muller was going parent with the love of his life. That's when he got the call, two days after the first call. Sherry was now at eight weeks. It was Leon.

"Jake, are you sitting down?" Leon sounded very upset. Jake braced himself against the glass of the storefront he was staring in. The mannequin family looked so happy, their little boy in the stroller. The little toddler girl was holding daddy's hand, dressed in a spring dress. The parents smiling down at her while she smiled up at daddy. His heart wretched at the sight. He turned and marched out of the mall, bumping people out of his path.  
"Spill it, hero." His words came without emotion. He knew what was coming.  
"Jake. I don't know how to tell you this." Jake cut him off sharply.  
"Say it. I need to hear it."  
"I'm sorry. There's no heart beat." Jake went silent as he made his way to the exit. Leon held on the line, letting Jake come to terms with his emotions.  
"Can't always win, can we." He breathed a heavy sigh before continuing as his thoughts traveled to a mother's loss. "Sherry?" He nearly whispered as his eyes filled with tears. He pushed those emotions aside. He had already accepted this when he was first told it was a possibility that their child wouldn't make it.  
"Alive. She's shut herself down emotionally, though. We have a grief counselor on the way." Jake closed his eyes, pausing for a moment. He expected that, too.  
"Leon?" He paused, "Please, take care of her for me." He hung up threw his phone in the trash.

With his last connection to Sherry gone, Jake made him mind up for what he would do next. He wasn't the type to deal with emotions. It was time to stiffen up and move on. He went to his motel and gathered his things, stopping at Sherry's before the airport. He had bought her a brand new frame for a picture he had found broken from the scuffle. It was a picture of their profiles, side by side, from their files. He left a little necklace big enough to fit a toddler with a little locket and a cross, their two pictures inside. The cross was inscribed with the same thing his mercenary group was called. "La Vida Neuvo." The new life. If was for their unborn child. Their child would have been the start of a new life, of normalcy. Something Jake never wanted for himself but would do anything for if Sherry could have it. He saved her life with his blood and the vaccine but would never know for sure if that's what killed their child. He smiled softly as he left the open locket to dangle from a corner of the frame, then put his note under it for her to find. Then he left for Edonia once more. To the snow, the cold, the crumbling cities, alone and abandoned. The place that once again matched how he felt in his heart.

"To the love of my life,  
"Just because I told you not to love me, it doesn't mean I didn't love you. It was my mistake to allow you in but I have no regrets. You taught me I was not alone in the world and convinced me that life was worth living. If you don't have your immortality, you are not safe by my side until the day I stop the work of our fathers. They may have died as monsters but I will never let that happen to you.  
"Please take a desk job. It would kill me if I found out the world was without you.  
"I'm sorry for the things I said. I'm sorry that I pushed you away but I am glad that it means you will be safe.  
"Please forgive me, my soul mate.  
"I will always love you, even when time turns me grey and I am gone from this world.  
"Maybe one day, when you are still young and beautiful and I am a battle worn, hardened old man, we will be free to live a life of normalcy.  
"Good bye, super girl,  
"J.M."

**Dedicating this chapter / book ending to anyone who has experienced fetal or infant loss. A parent should never have to bury their child. These things only seem to get better with time but it's not always the truth. My story was happier. This loss part in my story is my story of baby B, that I will never know if it was a boy or a girl. My two-year old's twin. I'm just happy that after losing that one at 8 weeks, the twin survived. I'm married so I had a happy ending. I had lost one before that at only 3 weeks pregnant the month before my twins. It's never easy but seeing the joy in your next child's life, weither your own or adopted, always makes you happy for the one that made it. Be strong and live for the ones you lost!**

**I don't want pms about it but yeah I decided this would end sadly and then decided to get this out of my system.**

**Not sure when/if I'm leaving it here or starting a new book. My surviving child of three and the twin of this one has her 2 year old party is this weekend. I will probably start another one soon but not sure since I want to do a Jake solo story more than likely and haven't planned it out yet. I know, cliff hanger and a sad ending, sorry guys.**


	13. A complicated life pt 1 of 3

******Book 7: A Complicated Life**

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**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

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**Okay guys, last one ended so depressing it even made me sad so I'm going to start some hope for a better life for the pair with a nice teaser chapter. Don't know what to call this one yet, so any suggestions feel like it. "Journey to the new world" is too 1400's and "A new hope" is too Star Wars. XD Love is a battlefield? Hmm... Ideas? I was thinking "The sins of the father" but wow that sounds depressing lol**

**"I should've held on tight, I never should've let you go. I didn't know nothing, I was stupid, I was foolish, I was lying to myself. Never imagined I'd be sitting here beside myself. 'Cause I didn't know you, 'cause I didn't know me but I thought I knew everything I've never felt. When you left I lost a part of me." When You Left I Lost a Part of Me, Mariah Carey**

Jake trekked along the muddy path before him. Unwilling to join the DSO or BSAA he found himself in a new mercenary group. He was never one for politics besides quoting his country's hate for Uncle Sam. He found himself alone in the darkness of his cold heart once again. They went through Spain, tracking Chimerys, his hybrid nemesis bred of the DNA from the Wesker project. This shit would be over by his own hands. He would end it. He owed that to the one he left behind so coldly that day.

The inevitable happened. He knew that despite all odds, he and Sherry would never really be. He wished he could brush it off like so many relationships in the past, just a dream that fell to pieces like memories in broken glass. That couldn't be further from the truth. His heart desired what they nearly achieved. Yes, they had consummated their relationship, out of love, for the right reasons. No matter the losses they should have stayed together. Alas, it was too much, the ideas of normalcy, the possibility that Sherry lost her immortality granting healing abilities after a vaccine made from the crossing of Jake's blood with the C-Virus. The greatest toll was the loss of their unborn child only eight weeks in. It tore them apart. He didn't even really say goodbye.

He left he a note and a locket in memory of their deceased unborn before he left Sherry's apartment and her country for the last time. Yes, he believed one day hopefully before his death, they could truly be together but right now the fact that he was alive would always bring her suffering and punishment at the hands of insane individuals and groups that wanted them for their Bio-Organic weapons. They would never be safe until he put an end to this and he would make sure it would end.

He longed for her touch, his body aching to feel her soft skin pressed to his, the shape of her body cleaving to his like to many times before when they had saved each other. He thought leaving would finally free his thoughts to focus on the task at hand, to find the latest group and the cause of his torment. It just tortured him further, hardening him once again to not care about others. Money wasn't his master this time. Neither was revenge. Jake wanted closure. It was time to end this, now.

This group was combined of rookies and veterans who had lost their families in China, Tall Oaks, Africa, Spain and everywhere else that Bio-Terrorism destroyed the world. This was their last stand to avenge their families and wipe out terror. Jake was recruited in Edonia by families who had returned to the war torn county. For a while, he wanted to help rebuilt and live his life in peace for a change but when the opportunity came couldn't say no. Jake was not the type to lead nor the type to follow. When he worked for money, he would do as he was told for the green. Now, he manned up, leading a small group of men on reconnaissance. He warned them about the horrors of the C-Virus and that he was the only one who made it out alive the last time. Whoever joined jim know that every day here was a suicide mission, no exceptions. He was just grateful that the BSAA was spread so thinly now after the horrors that took place last year that he wouldn't have to run into them, for one reason alone. Sherry. He didn't even leave contact information when he chose to trash his phone.

He kept convincing himself it was for the best, to protect her. He had always said to her not to love him but even when it had all fallen apart, he still loved her. Once he let Sherry Birkin in he just couldn't kick her out. He knew she was a reclusive type like himself. She was probably somewhere trying to save the world again, thinking of him. She wouldn't come after him without a reason from her superiors. Sherry just never got personal. The only reason she found him before was the calling in her blood for him, when her Mr. Hyde personality went ape-shit trying to mate with him, resulting in the death of their unborn child when they cured the mutation of her virus.

Sherry had known she was pregnant for a week before, unable to find the words to tell Jake, pushing him away as G, her Mr. Hyde drew him in , showing him a side of Sherry hidden to all. G was fearful, passionate, honest. He hated when Sherry withheld vital information. It happened time and time again while they were in China. She did it as a way of protecting him, to keep the peace until it backfired. He felt didn't know her anymore but he loved her just the same. He would give anything to have her back, the Sherry he knew and loved. The problem was that neither of them was the same anymore. He told himself that maybe if he stayed and waited it out, consoled her, things would resolve but the reality was that things would never be as they were.

Now he was alone but not afraid, battle hardened and combat ready, he would fight on until the last of these crazy bastards burned in hell like his father and Sherry's parents. He wouldn't stop for anything or anyone. This was the life he was born for, the life he was used to, the life of a warrior. Come hell or high water, he would keep up the fight until his dying breath. This is what had to be done if he wanted to be with her. He owed it to Sherry, he owed it to his loss of his privilege, no, his right to be a father, he owed it to his mother. Most importantly, "I owe it to me."

* * *

**Untitled**

Jake trudged around in the mud, one of the last of his men as he had expected things to turn out. BSAA bodies and civilians, J'avo and zombies, the dead were scattered about, some in piles, others with their limbs thrown about haphazardly. At some point he realized that shit shit-hole was the remains of Madrid. Larger cities in the world were harder to control, the B.O.W.s still raging on. China was a wasteland now. Jake hadn't known that it was this bad. He was working in smaller towns and villages, doing what he can as one man, hoping the BSAA was doing their thing.  
In the distance he saw one tiny patch of settlement, still standing against the J'avo and Zombie pandemic. Fire began to ravage the remaining settlements. He began to wonder if they were deliberate. This was the last stand for this city. He continued on, making his way the building, failing to rescue his men as they were picked off one by one.

Jake was sure that his blood would have been turned into a vaccine by now. He didn't know how so many had fallen nor how he survived this particular place for so long. The torn, tattered flag in the distance filled him with both hope and remorse. It was the American Embassy. He scoffed. "Of all the places to remain... irony at it's best." He wondered if he'd run into Sherry here. Surely, embassies had desk jobs and involved National Security and intelligence gathering. With a large threat like this happening here? He didn't want to run into her at all but if he did, he didn't want to be removing dog tags from the rotting corpse of the woman he loved... and left.

He finally made it to the barred entrance, several guns pointed at him. "Don't shoot! I'm human!" He called out, putting his hands above his head. He wasn't the type to surrender but he was dying for a break from this shit. The guns lowered. "I swear, I'll help! I just need some food, water, a night's stay. That's all I ask!" A few lowered their guns, waiting for one man to nod for the rest to give in as well.  
An explosion wrecked the wall, brick splintering and shattering, raining down on Jake as he shielded his face. He took the opportunity and ran through, burying his face in his arms. He dashed through the fire, holding his breath until he reached a clearing at the front doors. All the men lay dead or injured at his feet. He heard cover fire from the windows above as he dragged two of the injured with his hands. He dragged them up the stairs, releasing them as the front doors flew open. He cocked his head at them, smiling softly. "Have to let me in now." He threw one over his back and tucked the other under his arm, dragging him at his side. "Looks like you guys need more help than me?"

"Tell me about it!" A petite blonde ran out, snatching up the man in Jake's arm and dragging him down the hall as more men rushed through the doors to secure the gap in the wall. She wore a green plaid mini-skirt with a matching capped sleeved blazer and an orange blouse underneath. A sheer brown scarf was around her neck for decoration. Jake stood there, stunned for a moment. She had a shoulder-length bob of golden blonde hair, her bangs covering her face. She didn't look particularly strong as she grunted, pulling the man to a padded bench. She heaved him up and began to examine his wounds.

"Sherry?" He breathed the words softly to himself. Shaking his head in disbelieve. She shook her head.  
"Sadly, no. There isn't any Sherry in this building." She turned her face up to him, smiling softly for a moment, her hazel brown eyes twinkling as she blushed softly, adjusting her mini skirt that was giving Jake a clear view of her panties. She returned to her task as the man on the bench whimpered in pain. "Agent Ashley Graham. National Defence." Jake slunk the man over his shoulder onto another bench gently. He crossed his arms, beginning to pace as another civilian ran out to check this one.  
He stared at her for a moment and she blushed. "Are you some kind of a pervert?" She continued on with her work, her skin getting redder by the moment. She played with her bangs for a moment, sizing Jake up as he paused before her.  
"No, I swear, I wasn't looking at you like that." He snickered for a second, "Are all of the agents blondes that look like they will fall over if sneezed on? Cus the girl I mistook you for is the same." She shook her head at him, pausing for a moment as she blinked her eyes, gasping softly in annoyance at that remark.  
"I'm in communications, Master's Degree, an informant and desk job. I don't usually do this kinda thing." She ran to the room she had come from, poking her head around the corner. "C'mon, there's got to be another medic free!`She looked around at the room. "Medic! Help!" He shrill voice hurt Jake's ears. He covered them, groaning in annoyance.

"Seriously? Please, don't do that again..." He uncovered his ears and was pointing at her. She looked at him with an exasperated face again. "Well, aren't you Prince Charming?" Jake threw his hands out, then crossed his hand in front of his chest, giving a bow.  
"At your service, Highness." An explosion rocked the building as the roof began to collapse. Jake jumped, grabbing the petite blonde and rolling as a statue broke from the crown-molding on the ceiling. She squealed as she found him on top of her, her legs parted with his in between. She slapped his face.  
"Pervert!" Another explosion rocked the building. The men they were attending to didn't make it as the building began collapsing from the front entrance. Jake gave her a stern look, rising to his feet. He grabbed her hand as the shaking continued.  
"I'll let that one slide but we gotta get the fuck out of here! Now!"

He dashed to the back of the building, looking for an exit. All the doors were barred with wood. She was way too slow. He threw her over his shoulder and bounded the stairs, four at a time. She shook her head, "All the windows barred! The only exit was at the front!" He paused and put her down as he rounded a corner.  
"Alright, looks like you're making me work." He cocked his head, "For fuckin free, too." J'avo began to come in through the holes in the ceiling around them. Jake took out his 909 and handed it to her as he loaded up a shotgun. "You can use that, right?" She shook her head, trying to push it back into his hands.  
"No!" She shrieked as more J'avo rained down. "Guns kill people!" Jake took it back, shotgun loaded. He slipped it back into its holster as he cocked his head, taking aim at a barred window with the shotgun.  
"No," he winked, giving a little nod, "I kill people."

He fired all five shots, then reloaded, grabbing her hand as he headed to the window. He jumped down, landing on one knee. He looked up at the blonde who kept staring behind her shoulder, terrified. Her eyes were wide as she began to hyperventilate, her hands tensing nervously. Jake shook his head. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to jump?" He threw his hands out angrily as he bared his teeth at her." She threw her legs over, preparing o jump.  
"You'll catch me?" He raised an eyebrow, cocking his head.  
"You sure you're National Security?" She nodded.  
"Desk job!" Jake rolled his eyes as he put the shotgun onto his back in its holster and put his arms out for her.

"Jesus fucking Christ..." He breathed out, "C'mon now. No one's stopin' ya!" She closed her eyes and kicked off, getting yanked back by her hair. One of the J'avo caught her. Jake instinctively pulled the gun off of his back, then cocked his head as he took it's head right off. It's dissolving hand released her as it crumbled. He slipped the gun over his shoulder to it's holster and caught the bimbo in his arms, taking off running. Ashley opened her eyes, surprised that she wasn't dead. She grabbed her hair that was singed at the edges. She squealed before crying out.  
"My hair!" Jake growled.  
"Jesus Christ... Of all the people to get stuck with." He shook his head, pausing as he put her down when he stopped a great distance away. She tripped and fell to her feet. Jake shook his head. "Just be glad you're alive..." He paced for a moment as she stared at him in disbelief.  
"Just who are you?" She looked like a deer in headlights and from what Jake could tell, he was just as intelligent as one. He sighed.  
"Does it really matter?" He sighed, putting his hand out to pick her up. "Jake, Jake Muller."  
"Well, thanks Mr. Muller." He scoffed, sighing deeply.  
"Jake's fine." He raised his eyebrow, taking in the view of the horizon, wondering what lay ahead. "Are all DSO chicks so clumsy?

* * *

**Untitled**

**BTW Alex = Alex Tribek from Jeopardy, a gameshow lol. Yay so I have insomnia after my kid's party. Enjoy what I call "Bashley." Ashley Bashing. :) I really didn't like the "babysitting your girlfriend" thing that they did in RE4 and I didn't mind Ashley but God, RE isn't known for particularly good acting/dialogue in the first games because the loading and animation was choppy but Goddamnit give the girl some better lines? Like they made Leon funny to compensate?**

**When I played Jake and Sherry's campaign, every time I shouted something out like "Doesn't shit stay dead fuck like seriously?" Jake would say pretty much the same thing a second later so yeah, here's how I reacted to RE4 and how Jake would have reacted. Only going to use a few elements from RE4 and yes, Sherry will show up at some point but I didn't wanna kill that for people by spoiling it and trust me, she will be more fun than Ada and Leon ;)**

"Seriously, Muller?" The petite blonde blinked her eyes, "Who do you work for?"  
"Me." He cocked his head. "Got a problem with that?" He locked his eyes on her and she flinched, gasping softly as his blue eyes pierced her with his stoic gaze. She paused then shook her head. "Good." He marched off, trying to get his barring. He gazed out at the crumbling buildings. "And there is again." A scent he never seemed to get used to. "The smell of death." The amount of death always brought his thoughts home to Edonia, home to when he met her. His Sherry. Or she was his Sherry. Before the last mission, Sherry's virus mutation, the G-Embryos in her body, the pregnancy. No, their pregnancy. He paused for a moment then nearly jumped as Ashley popped up behind him. She was up against him like she was afraid of her own shadow.  
"Uh. I saved your life. So, are we done?" He threw his hand out, "I'm not rescue party. Most I can do is find you a phone or something."

Ashley pouted, tears coming into her eyes as she made a puppy-face that almost rivaled Sherry's. He rolled his eyes at it. "Jesus..."  
"All of my contacts here are dead." She bluted it out, grabbing his arm as he tried to walk away. "Please... Don't... don't leave me." He looked at her in annoyance, literally brushing her off with his hand like she stained his jacket. He furrowed his brows, pausing to see her distress was genuine. He just couldn't stand that look from a woman anymore. "Fuckin blondes are making me weak." He shook his head, trying to brush her off. No B.O.W.s in sight, nothing but the dead scattered about, still stinking of death. "Well. That's good." He shrugged, nodding at her. "Means no one to miss your ass if we part ways." He sighed, "See, ya around." He broke into a jog.

"No wait! I wasn't finished!" She threw her hand out, her eyes welling up as she reached to him like she was falling. He sighed, turning to face her again.  
"And?" He began to pace, watching the distance for any signs of trouble. All he heard was the sound of her sobs, the silence around them making him uneasy.  
"Do you know who I am?" She crossed her hands over her chest, her face now flushed with anger. He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled, turning to leave once more.  
"Do I care?" He paused, shrugging again as she bit her lip. "Should I care?" She wiped her tears.  
"People would pay for information about me." That one made Jake's eyes twinkle. Even though he did freebies now, a lil money to get by would be nice. What the DSO gave him as survival cash had long run out and when he did reach civilization, washing dishes and hard labor didn't come with a free meal like in the movies. Killing B.O.W.s for food and shelter was his thing now and with this latest disaster, he was starting to doubt that decision. He sauntered up to her, staring her down nose to nose as he dwarfed her height.

"Oh really?" His haunting smile turned to a stoic glare starling Ashley once more. "How much?"  
"What?" She blinked at him wide eyed. He sighed as he caught her bluff. He turned to wander off again. She grabbed his arm again, pissing him off once more as he threw out his arms and shook his head.  
"Goddamn it... Listen woman." He turned, anger in his eyes and voice. "I don't have time for..." Her brown eyes were now staring him down, her gaze wavering lightly as if she feared him.  
"Are you a mercenary?" Now Jake was blinking.  
"Excuse me?" He smirked down at her. "And how much is that answer worth?" She licked her lips, blinking again as she was looking for something to say. He poked his finger in the center of her chest. "I'll take World History for $500, Alex." He backed up, throwing his hands out as he shook his cocked head with a smirk. "Well, whaddaya know? The daily double!" He marched off again, shaking his head as he looked at the sky in disbelief, wondering why he was wasting his time on this rat.

"Forget I asked." Jake paused as Ashley lost her poison. He shot a glance over his shoulder.  
"She's pouting right?" He licked his lips, sighed, rolling his eyes, then pivoted on his heel to face her again. He smirked, shaking his head as he answered himself aloud."Yep, pouting."  
"Oh, screw you..." She kicked a rock at him. He looked at the pathetic pebble at his foot, smirked, then slowly raised his gaze to her.  
"Alright. No problem." He shook his head, "Hope I'm not your first." Her face went bright red. She covered her lips with her fingers as she gasped.  
"Yeah, yeah, pervert, pervert. So?" He shook his head, gesturing with his hands again.  
"What?" She continued to blush as he looked her over. He sighed then began to pace.  
"Someone can't take a fuckin' joke." He bit the inside of his cheek, giving Ashley a stare-down that made her giggle, breaking the ice with her. He towered over her once more, putting his hands on his knees as he bent down to her eye level and continued to stare her down with his best poker face. She blushed harder at him, her gaze wavering again. He smirked softly again, "So? Why are you still here?" He turned around, brushing her off with a gesture from his hand. "Go on now, run along now." He smirked again, "You know," Jake threw his fist in the air, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Free Willy!" Her jaw dropped at this one. He shook his head, snickering to himself as he marched off again. He adjusted his gloves as he whistled a tune.  
"Fuck you, Jake Muller!" He heard her shout behind him. He gave her the finger over his shoulder as he sauntered away.  
"Where have I heard that one before." he twisted his finger in the air then shoved it upwards, following it up with his fist in the air and a tap to his forearm.

Jake paused as he heard her slump to the ground, grunting in frustration. He peeked again against his best judgement. He sighed. There she was, pouting. Obviously she was some spoiled rich kid that bought her way into the DSO, sealing the deal with what little brains she had. He felt a little bad for her even thought leaving her behind made him feel like he was doing the world a service by cleaning up the gene pool. He slapped his hands to his knees as he crouched down to her eye level, his ass almost on the floor. She cut him off before he could say anything. "Look, I have information that needs to get to the president of the united states. They will pay for that information." He crossed his arms and scoffed as he rose to his feet.  
"Look, I donèt know or care who you are little girl but I'm not a mercenary anymore so you're on your own." He pointed at her, "Like I said, I'm not your savior and I don't play hero." She looked away from him, scoffing as well.  
"So why did you save me?" Jake rolled his eyes, shaking his head lightly as he plunked his ass down in front of her, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.  
"Fuck, i dunno. I got a thing for saving blondes now?" Ashley frowned, scoffing again, "Gah, real mature." He didn't answer, his blue eyes boring into her again. She blushed lightly once more as she finally faced him, crossing her legs as she put her palm to her face. "So, you're a chauvinistic pig on top of being a perv?" Jake wondered if she was being sarcastic or honest.  
"Why are women so fuckin' complicated?" he thought to himself as he gave her another poker face. he played the serious card. "Fuck, that's not what I meant."

Jake rolled his eyes in the awkward silence. He sat up, reaching a hand out to her. "Look are you ever going to shut up or do I have to hear your ass all the way to Portugal?" Ashley's eyes fluttered with hope as she wiped a tear from them.  
"Portugal? Why Portugal?"  
Jake sighed, "Geography for $200, Alex." He paced, pulling a cigarette from his pocket as he lit it up. Ashley stared at him with disgust as he cupped his hands around his lighter. He puffed the smoke in her face, slapping his lighter closed with an irritating click as he returned her glare. "Got any other bright ideas than the closest country to Spain?" He turned, marching off to the West. "Judging from your hair color, I'd guess not." He paused when she didn't answer, smirking to himself."Or should I base that on you being female, just to piss you off." She crossed her arms over her chest again.  
"Are you stupid? That's the direction we came in. Shouldn't we hit France?" He shifted his weight to one foot, sucking in a breath of smoke before answering coldly.

"On foot. Really?" He shrugged as he cocked his head and marched off. "And I'm the stupid one..." She grabbed his arm once more, pissing him off again.  
"Are you really going to help me out?" She looked up at him with those brown eyes that danced under he blonde bangs. She kinda reminded him of Britney Speaks with Justin Timberlake's voice.  
"So that's what their kids woulda turned out like. Scary..." He shrugged. "Yeah, fine. Just please? Shut the hell up. Like, for the entire trip." He shook his head, marching off once more. "Just cus I agreed to help ya, doesn't mean I gotta stand ya." She pouted again he pulled his arm away, brushing his sleeve off again. Ashley paused, then followed him.  
"Okay." She answered softly, pouting along behind him, barely able to keep up with his long strides.  
"Starting from now!" He called out then whistled between his puffs of smoke. He smirked to himself. The cigarette was just to piss her off anyways.

* * *

**Untitled**

Ashley covered her mouth, coughing as she waved her hand in front of her face. "Seriously? That's such a nasty habit. Must you really?" Jake paused.  
"You know, I'm used to giving orders at this point in my life, since I led my own group of mercs in Edonia." He pointed a stern finger at her before marching off again. "Sure as fuck not taking them from you."  
"Ugh, well I never!" She crossed her arms over her chest as she paused.  
"Yeah, you never do shut up, do you." He looked behind his shoulder. "Keep up, will ya princess?"

Ashley stomped along, adjusting her miniskirt every now and then. Hey, give me a second here!" He paused, pivoting on his heel as he turned halfway to face her. He threw his hands out in exasperation.  
"Now what?" He shook his head as she blushed." I swear you have the bladder of a 2 year old." Ashley dashed behind a broken wall. He saw her blazer go up over it to rest, then her orange silk blouse. The blazer came down again then she came out with the blouse tied around her neck like a scarf, the sleeves tucked down the front of the blazer to hide her cleavage.

"Ok, I'm ready."  
"For a dinner party?" Jake looked around. The sun was blazing down on them and even he was beginning to find it unbearable. "Alright, since we are stripping off." He slipped his suspenders down and removed his own long-sleeved shirt. He wore a sleeveless undershirt with a deep U front. Ashley watched his muscled, sweat covered body and he pulled the long-sleeve shirt off, nearly taking the other with it. She bit her lip as she took in one of his pecs leading to a nicely toned six-pack of abs. She licked her lips at the chiseled hips protruding through the top of his pants that were sitting too low on his frame, leading to legs that could run for miles under that fine piece of ass.

Ashley blushed and gasped, taking a step back and turning her face away as he caught her staring. Jake brushed it off, tucking his shirt into his pants before pulling his suspenders up and replacing his holsters. "Yeah, thats called the Muller effect. Doesn't just work on women." He cocked his head, "European men are weird sometimes, not including me."  
She tried to hide her embarrasment, staring the conversation away from what she just saw. "I thought you were american?" He pointed to the writing on his shirt.  
"Only thing American about me is this shirt and it's probably made in china." He shifted his weight to one foot. His shirt read "I kill zombies." She stifled a giggle. "I'm just good with languages."  
"Well good," She smiled warmly, trying not to stare at his scar. "That's something we have in common."  
"Yeah. That convo ends here, though." Jake shook his head. "I said languages, not conversation." He looked around again, wiping his forehead and neck with shirt before tying it around his waist. "We need to find water, food, shelter if you wanna survive this thing." She nodded in silence.

Just then something reached out and grabbed her foot, causing her to shriek. Jake resisted the urge to cover his ears and shot the zombie that was about to bite her leg, putting two bullets into its head with his silenced 909. "Girl, you better stop doing that." He cocked his head with a grin, then nodded as he gave her a wink and a smirk, "That's only hot in bed."  
"Gah, you get grabbed by one!" Jake looked around cautiously at the amount of bodies around them. He bared his teeth in annoyance, his tone becoming angry. "We better find some shelter or we will get grabbed." He reached out his hand as she seemed paralyzed with fear. "C'mon goddamn it. Let's go!" He shot another glance over his shoulder at the rising dead, stomping a skull of one near his feet before scooping the ditz up. He threw her over his shoulder as he searched for any vehicle that could handle the uneven terrain. "Shit outta luck."

Jake sighed before ran toward the horde, dropping Ashley softly to her ass with a startled gasp from her lips. He leaped up in the air, kicking two of the dead in the head as he shot one in the middle with his 909. He used his momentum to kick off of them, flipping backwards as he kicked another with both feet. He spun and did a roundhouse, breaking up the crowd that began to swarm them. Zombies were a piece of cake. Jake didn't to run into any J'avo. He fired a couple more rounds, Ashley cowering behind him as she covered her head, kneeling on the ground.

"Help, Jake!" He shook his head in annoyance at her voice, then did a rising scissor kick, flipping backward. He spun on his hands and flipped to his feet in front feet. He did a sweep kick, taking out some more before leaping up and bashing some skulls in with a dropped fist. Sherry gasped at every grunt from Jake's lips. He reached down grabbed her hand, pulling her up. She slipped and fell to her knees. Jake rolled his eyes. He didn't know how Leon and Sherry could do this for a living. He threw her over his shoulder with a grunt as he bounced off and over a broken wall, thumping down onto one knee before he bounced off again. He paused to roundhouse kick another horde, causing a domino effect that gave him another opening. The blonde's gasping made him think of sex. "Yeah let's find some shelter fast." He shrugged with a smirk as he thought to himself. "Gonna need a cold shower."

They ran through the outskirts of the city, Jake following the train tracks as best as he could, avoiding hordes of zombies as they snuck around crumbling buildings. This was the way Jake had come with his crew, recognizing familiar faces of the dead like a sick dream. They came across a passenger train that Jake debated entering. He was low on ammunition, pick-pocketing the corpses of BSAA bodies, fearing reanimation. He was beginning to lose hope that they could survive the ruins of Spain, wondering if other major cities were beginning to fall as well. He didn't mind the zombies if there weren't so many. He was immune to the virus but Ashley wasn't. She also wasn't anything like Sherry.

Jake and Sherry were like a small army together, able to withstand quite the battle. Sherry wasn't that experienced in battle but she could handle a gun and keep up with Jake's movements. Ashley was starting to wear him out, becoming a burden. He just couldn't stand to abandon her annoying ass for some reason. He still had hope that humanity could conquer the viruses but with people like Ashley refusing to take a stand he began to wonder why he was trying at all. He didn't even care for humanity before he met Sherry. Heck, if it wasn't for Sherry he probably would have left Ashley's ass in the embassy to die.

He put a few dead down with his silenced 909 again, trying to avoid drawing any dead. He searched the body of one of his fallen men, pulling out a Triple Shot handgun and some ammo. He passed it up to Ashley. "Here. You need to learn how to use that. The recoil isn't as bad as a 909." He smirked, looking at the weapon as he placed it in her hand. Ashley pressed herself up against the toppled train car, staring at the weapon in disbelief. Jake hesitated then let go. Next took the silencer, thigh holster and side pack from the man and put his hand over Ashley's thigh, hovering in hesitation. She looked up at him with that deer in headlights gaze, staring at his scar, blushing as he strapped the holster to her one thigh. He strapped the side-pack to her other thigh. "You'll need to practice putting it in there without shooting your foot." He smiled warmly with a soft chuckle. She smiled back, blushing lightly. He pointed at her then the weapon. "For now, I'll show you how to aim. Handle it for a bit and get used to the weight first." He pulled a knife from another corpse and began pacing the fallen, stabbing them in the head mercilessly as Ashley looked on in horror. He shrugged. "We need the break and I'd rather not regret this later." She looked as if she was going to throw up. He smiled and shook his head, continuing his camp procedure. "Yeah, get used to this, kid."

Next, Jake searched the bodies for rations, sighing in frustration. He hadn't eaten in days and it was starting to make him light-headed. He stumbled around the corpses for any canteens of water. Nothing. He sighed in frustration, pursing his lips as he began to curse. His stomach was kicking him as his throat burned with acid. He could go without when he had to as a merc but with his enhanced metabolism and the fatigue of battle getting the best of him, he was becoming gravely concerned about finding water. He had eyed places all day for food and water yet dark was setting in and there was nothing in sight. Most cities only had enough water in reserve for 24 hours during a disaster. Even broken water mains were bone dry by now.

He stumbled to his knees, hoping Ashley didn't notice. Jake hated appearing weak. He stumbled once more. She ran out to brace him as he nearly fell to the ground. Her doe eyes danced upon his as she looked him over with deep concern. She noticed his pale face and chapped lips. "Jake, can you boost me up the train car?" He shook his head.  
"Too dangerous til you learn to use that gun. I can't leave you out here on your own either." She shook her head at him.  
"I promise I won't go in. I can tell you when I find something." She smiled softly as she heard his stomach growl, hers rumbling in reply. "That's an international train. There's gotta be somethin' to eat." Jake licked his lips.  
"I'm happy if you get me something to drink." She smiled softly, then gave a silent nod, helping him over to the tracks.

He tried to boost her but she kept fiddling with her damn skirt. "Seriously, babe. I'm not fuckin lookin." He shook his head, "We don't have time for this. The night is settling in." He picked her up and put her on his shoulders, then leaned against the train. He reached his hands as high as he could. She scampered up him until her feet touched his elbows. He put his hands out one at a time and she pushes the soles of her feet into them as she pulled herself up slowly. "That'a girl." He smiled. He did get one peek at her ass. He shrugged it off as he sat down, shaking his head. It was a nice view but not as nice as Sherry. He sighed and pressed his head against the train car, pulling one leg up for comfort. He found himself drifting to sleep against his will as he listened out for his partner, chuckling at the idea of that word.

* * *

**Untitled**

"Jake!" He was stirred from his sleep by the sound of a familiar voice. He felt disoriented as he looked around. The battlefield, crumbling buildings, a train wreck, the darkness settling in around him as the world began to fade to grey. Sherry? No. This was Spain. His men lay dead around him. The voice again. Ashley. "Jake? Are you okay?" He raised his chin from his chest, stretching out. He yawned loudly before answering.

"Yeah. Still alive." He smacked his lips together, then coughed lightly. "How goes the hunt?"  
"I found something." He raised his eyebrow at the excitement in her voice.  
"A Big Mac and Fries? Doritos?" He shook his head at his own stupid jokes. He was beginning to sound like Leon. He heard Ashley giggle.  
"You sound like Leon!" Ashley shook her head as she crawled up to the glass, peering down. Jake furrowed his brows. She knew Leon? Who was this girl? She continued after a moment. "Anyways, it's better than that!"

"Water?" Jake rolled his eyes. "That's what I sent you for, woman."  
"A cell phone!" She pressed her face to the glass, trying to see in the limited light. Jake paused before calling back.  
"Typical. Got a pair of matching shoes with it? Maybe an itty bitty purse?" She ignored him. He finally got serious. "This Leon. It's Agent Kennedy right? How do you know..." Jake was interrupted by the sound of glass breaking and a loud shriek. He jumped to his feet.  
"Ashley!" He cried out to her. After a pause she responded.  
"I'm okay!" Then silence as Jake heard the shuffling of feet on glass. More than one pair.  
"Fuck! I shoulda taught you to use that gun!"

He peered in through the window of the train car, crouching down to see in. He had to lay himself flat to look between a gap in the bodies against the door. His eyes widened at the sight. Slow feet moving as Ashley looked around in the dark, her eyes adjusting as she made her way to the phone at the other end of the car. "Ashley!?" He pounded on the glass, trying to draw attention away from her. "Get the fuck outta there! Now!" Something snatched his ankle from behind. He spun his head around to see a crawling zombie at his feet., kicking it's head in without hesitation. He pointed his gun at the sky as another leaped above him. He rolled it off of him, getting to his feet. He heard Ashley struggling with the door at the other end.

"Jake! It won't budge! Something has to be behind it!" Jake growled as he got to his feet, bracing himself with both hands as he stumbled.  
"Yeah, like the next fuckin' car?" He shook his head as he looked around the wreckage. He'd have to make it up the side somehow. The moans on the dead became louder as he started being grabbed, his clothing be torn. "Hey now," he cocked his head, punching one out as he kicked another, his palm still on the train. "I don't swing that way." He pressed himself against the car Ashley was in? Then lunged forward to climb the wall. A zombie grabbed his leg as he leaped upward, draggin him to the ground. He dropped on top of it, squeezing it's head between his knees then he gave it a neck-snapping twist. He followed that up with a punch, exploding it's head with his fist. He was surrounded on all sides by the dead as he looked around in vein, pulling himself to his feet as he grabbed the train's ladder. "Son of a fuckin' bitch." He heard a scream. Ashley.  
"Jake, I can't get out!" She shrieked again. He was shooting zombies and fighting for his own life. Between shots and melee attacks, he called commands out to her as the dead swarmed him.  
"Ashley, listen to me. Get out that gun, just don't touch the trigger."  
"Okay!"  
"See the little toggle switch on it? Push the lock tote side and lift it up." He panted as he continued to push himself past his limits. "Now, keep both eyes open and aim down the barrel. Let them get close about a foot in front of you." He swore as a zombie bit into his shoulder. "Okay, take a deep breath and bend your elbows. Don't blink. Let it go and hold it, then squeeze the trigger." He heard silence as he splattered a few more heads, placing his gun in his holster as he listened.  
"Ashley?" Nothing. "Ash!" Finally, the three consecutive shots fired. She shrieked. Jake heard something fall then another shriek as more shots went off. He breathed s sigh of relief as he climbed the bodies to the too of the car, then lit the last one in his reach with his lighter.

He scampered on top the lopsided wreckage. He punched a glass then dropped down, falling on his side with a grunt and a thud. The petite blonde took his hand in the dark. He pulled her to his face, barely able to make her out. "Fuckin' Christ. I coulda killed you!" She shoved an apple in his mouth then handed him a bottle of water. Ashley chuckled in relief. "Shut up, Muller." He gave her a dirty look as let her shirt go. "Now who's clumsy!"

She picked up the phone and dialed in the dark. Luckily it was a pre-paid. "Daddy? Daddy! You're breaking up! My signal is weak." Jake scoffed, crossing his arms.  
"Of all the people to call."  
"Yes, they're all dead. A mercenary saved me. Jake Muller. Really? That's great!" He rolled his eyes as he listened to the cliche conversation. "A dead zone!? Oh my God!" Silence. "Okay, got it. I love you!"

Ashley shuffled herself over to Jake. He threw his shirt over her to keep her warm. The dead lay scattered in the train. "Jake?" She smiled softly, "Change of plans. There will be a chopper waiting for us in Morocco in two days. There's also a DSO Agent that will try to rendezvous with us before we get there to help protect us." Jake shot her a sideways stoic glance, pausing before asking the question burning in his mind.  
"Just who the fuck is your dad?" He smirked, "You don't look like Paris Hilton." He shook his head, drinking half the water before passing it to her. She pushed it back towards him and he drank it greedily.  
"Re-elected United States President Graham." She smiled softly. Jake went quiet for a sec before making a gesture with his hands.  
"That's a mouthful. I knew you were a princess." She punched his shoulder lightly the realized her hand was soaked with blood. She eyed his torn shirt and the bite beneath it. His blood was dark as it ran down his arm.  
"Oh my god!" She gasped. She took her blouse from around her shoulders and tore it, wrapping his wound as he winced in pain.  
"Really, it's just a scratched." He smiled softly as he offered her half of the apple. Again she refused.  
"Save your strength. We have to make Morocco in two days!" He sighed, looking down at his apple.  
"And the DSO Agent's name?" He already knew the answer as he stared intensely at the apple as if it held the knowledge of all.  
"Sherry Birkin."

That one threw him for a loop. His eyes went wide for a moment as she shuffled in his seat. He scoffed, looking away from Ashley. He cocked his head before taking another bite of the apple. "All roads lead to Rome." Ashley eyed his scar, accentuated by the light of the moon peering down at them. It was full tonight and it's light accentuated his deep-set blue eyes. She couldn't help but stare at the scar. Her hand instinctively went to it, her fingers hesitating before stroking it lightly. He snatched her by the wrist a little too hard, making her gasp in both surprise and pain. He glared at her from the corner of his eye, unflinching as he gritted his teeth. "Take a picture. It'll last longer." She gasped softly, then he threw her hand backwards as he let her go.  
"I... I'm sorry... I dunno what...?" She stammered along. Jake ignored her as he stared off at the dead among them, unable to move them in his current state.  
"Sure." He looked up at the moonlight for a moment before casting his gaze on her. His face erupted into a smile at the couple of bruises on her forehead. He brushed her bangs out of the way to examine her. "Look," he shook his head as he rolled his eyes, "I gotta teach you how to deal with the recoil on that puppy tomorrow." He dropped his hand from her face. "Get some sleep, noob." Ashley nodded her head with a little grunt and snuggled up against him for warmth. He sighed with annoyance. As annoying as she could be he was starting to grow on her. He scoffed to himself. "Women..."

* * *

**Untitled**

Jake awoke to the sunlight shinning on his face and pressure on his wound. He never slept in past sunrise, even when he wasn't on a job. He groaned in pain, shooting Ashley a dirty look. She had found a medical kit it seemed. She shoved some pills into his palm and handed him a bottle of water. He stared at them for a moment before surrendering. He stared at her from the corner of his eye as she drank them down. That's when he noticed the small suture kit. "What the fuck?" He pointed at her. "Starting to think I sided with the terrorist..." He groaned as she put pressure on he wound again.  
"Oh please..." She whined. "You're just like," he cut her off.  
"Kennedy?" He winced in pain as she continued to apply pressure. He brushed her hands off and squeezed it himself as she pulled out a hypodermic.  
"Yeah." She shrugged, "He saved me in Spain a while back when I was in university here." She smiled softly but Jake could see the pain behind it. She caught his glance but sighed, continuing to prep him. "That was when my father served his first term." She removed his hand noticing the hemostatic medication had worked and the bleeding had slowed. She handed cleansing wipes with her gloved hands and applied a liquid to his shoulder. "That stuff is going to numb you for the needle. Just hold still, okay? You're going to feel a pinch."

She injected the sedative several times in the area of Jake's torn shoulder. She grimaced as she inspected it further. "This is a lot worse than I thought." She smiled softly and gave him a wink. "Hold still again."  
"Jesus fuckin' Christ, woman!" He made a fist, then slammed it into the floor. "Easy for fuck's sake!"  
"Hey!" She paused and caught his gaze. "I don't have enough sutures to fix anything else!" She shook her head. "One of the dead was a nurse or something. We got lucky." She applied pressure again while waiting for the sedative to work, her little hands dwarfed on his smooth shoulders.  
"So?" He started, "Communications not your major?"

Ashley smiled softly at him with hesitation. "I was studying veterinary with a minor in world languages." She eyed his scar again against her will, looking away with a blush before continuing. "I came here to enjoy a summer exchange program, Spanish immersion. Then I got kidnapped and Leon saved me." She shrugged, "After that experience I decided to put my skills to use. I could better the world by trying to take down terrorists like Saddler and Wesker." Jake's eyes darted over to her as he flinched at the name. His father's name. "Oh, so you've heard about them. Well, Saddler wanted to use me to show his strength to the world as a message. Wesker wanted the Las Plagas parasite. He sent an agent by the name of Ada Wong to steal it. Wesker succeeded, giving way to the Uraboros project, a hybrid of the Progenerator virus, predecessor to the G-Virus. Luckily the BSAA took him out." Jake's hand was balled into a fist.

"Yeah. Lucky him." He was still angry with who his father was despite swearing to never become him. Jake could thank his father for intelligence, strength, his life-saving anti-bodies. He would also thank him for the shitty childhood, the death of his mother that would have survived her illness if they were financially stable with his rich, deadbeat scientist of a father. Jake shook his head and looked away as Ashley began to stitch him up, leaving him to his own thoughts. She redressed his wound properly this time.

"I'm surprised this wound is so clean." She smiled, "I've seen videos in training about this virus." She looked at his smooth shoulders and defined muscles, her hands sliding over his skin as she looked him over for infection. "We should get you some anti-biotics in case the one that got you had Ecoli, strep or straph. Do you have a tetanus shot? Any aches or shakes?" She shoved a thermometer in his mouth after sterilizing it. She stared at the numbers. He didn't even break a sweat. "104? You should be comatose or brain dead!" She pulled it out of his mouth and began reading little pill bottles in the kit. Jake just smirked as he watched her from the corner of his eye.  
"Yeah, I'm 'different.' I'm not really susceptible to all of that shit, even the bacteria has issues." She just stared at him with those wide, brown doe eyes.  
"Just what are you?" She looked slightly fearful. "Are you one of those...?" Jake scoffed, cutting her off.  
"Tsk." He sighed with a chuckle, "That's classified."

She touched his arm gently. He looked down at her hand. "No, really. The BSAA classified my relationship to my father."  
"You're father was...?" She covered her mouth with a gasp. He hesitated and then pointed his finger at her, cocking his head as he started with an aggressive tone.  
"What did I tell ya about that mouth of yours? You wanna get to Morocco in one piece?" His eyes narrowed, "Do yourself a favor, princess. Shut it." Jake sighed. "Bitch is smarter than I thought. Just what kinda access does she have to shit?" He stared up at the sun. It was around noon. "We're behind schedule." He pulled himself up, pressing his back to the wall. He kicked in the back door where he had burned bodies the night before. "Time to go."

Jake peeked out, holding the door open vertically with his good arm as he ducked under it. He held it for Ashley who scrambled under on all fours then let it go, gravity slamming it shut. "Shit." He shook his head with a sigh, "That was a lil too loud." He looked at the sun again, getting his bearings once more. He was still dizzy from the loss of blood and lack of nutrition. Ashley jumped down off the track first, then positioned herself under Jake's shoulder to help him down. He shook his head in disbelief. "Looks like I'm the damsel in distress." He smiled softly as he mapped out a plan. She released him, keeping her hands near him just in case. "I'm fine, really." He winced as he straightened himself up, rolling his shoulder. "Built like a tank." He checked his ammo stock, cocking his head as he reloaded his weapons. "No stopin' me either." She replied with a soft nod as they jogged on.

"Finally, a sense of civilization!" Jake smiled as they approached the beach house. It was getting dark and the motorcycle he had found ran out of gas a long time ago. It saved them some time but they were still way behind what they needed to make up. It was quite the mansion, reminding him of the one he had escaped in Italy with Sherry. "Let's hope it's not another Casa de locos." Jake and Ashley had been checking every standing home on their way for food and ammo, having no luck so far. He boosted Ashley over the front gate, then called out to her before going around back. "Stay sharp!" He looked around for a way to get in just in case Ashley didn't find a key. He noticed some fancy bricks in the walls and decided to try to climb them, stumbling several times from the tear in his shoulder. Blood leaked down his sleeve once more as he cried out in pain. "Fuckin' son of a... ripped the fuckin' stitch..." He rolled over the top, landing not so gracefully onto his bad shoulder, rolling as he tried to soften the fall. He cried out again as he failed to get to his feet. The pain was becoming unbearable. Ashley was struggling with the lock on the front gate, dropping it as she ran over to him.  
"Well, I found the keys." She tossed them into Jake's open hand.  
"Yeah, thanks. A lil late for that shit." He grabbed his shoulder, applying pressure as they went towards the door.  
"Jake!" Ashley stared at the blood running down his side. He brushed her away as he pushed past her.  
"Yeah yeah, I know I know... All the fighting didn't tear it and I stumble around like an idiot." He sighed loudly with a low growl. "Let's get some food!"

They tried every key and nothing worked. "What is this shit? The house set?" he shrugged, "Must be a vacation home..." He looked around. They didn't have many options of a place that still remained stable. It seemed the entire country was one big wreck. In his condition they wouldn't be able to make camp before nightfall somewhere else. With the Spanish military at a loss, he didn't want to deal with pirates or worse, more B.O.W.s at nightfall. He was about to kick the door open when he heard a familiar sound. J'avo. "Ash. Find cover, now." He pointed to security shack near the end of the driveway. "Looks like we aren't the only home invaders tonight."

Jake resorted to kicks and his 909 Glock as he fought them off. He had enough and really needed the rest, feeling the strain of being human eating away at him. He shot at their heads one at a time as he tried to steady his one-handed aim with his bad arm. "Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. And fuck you." he spun to his right, dropping to a sweep kick, followed by a rising sidekick from the ground. He spun to his feet with a flying fist before jumping up with a scissors kick. He grabbed the last J'avo and smashed it's face into the house repeatedly.

"Jake!" Ashley cried out, pointing to someone on the roof. He backed up a few steps but tripped as he felt faint, missing his shot at the assailant he could barely make out against the sunset. "Ashley ran out and pointed her gun, also missing the target. He looked back at Ashley as more J'avo stormed the gates. A grenade rolled to Ashley's feet as the person on the roof shot her. Jake rolled over and jumped to his feet to catch Ashley as she went down, grabbing her neck. She fainted in his arms as he covered her with his body, shouting her name as the grenade went off, unable to get further away from it in his current state. the world went dark around them, the J'avos hisses fading into silence around them in the smoke and flames. Familiar boots clacked along the top of the roof joining the silence of the J'avo as Jake's world turned to black.


	14. A complicated life pt 2 of 3

**Untitled**

Jake arose to the comfort of a warm bed. A cool wind blew it's breeze through an open window. He didn't recognize where he was at all. The sun was bright on his face, nearly blinding him. Jake realized the window was an open doorway with an open fence-style security gate in front of it. A white curtain flapped in the wind towards his feet. He could make out the silhouette of a blonde standing on the balcony outside. "Ashley?" He called out weakly. She ignored him as she continued to look out at the ocean view.

"How did I...?" Jake paused as he heard those boots turn and walk towards him, the silhouette coming closer. She put her hands on her hip as she changed her weight to one foot.  
"So? Now you're calling another girl's name in your sleep, too, huh?" She smiled softly. Her hair was longer than when they had last seen each other but still in the same messy, choppy bob style. The top was still just over her ears but the back was a cute mullet. She leaned over the bed, her soft lips parting just above his gaze. Her grey-blue eyes were full of concern and pain as she looked at him with nostalgia. Sherry. "It's one thing for me to have to keep B.O.W.s hands off of you but I'm getting sick of competing with other women.

"Birks!" He became furious, "What the fuck are you doing here? Thought you'd take my advice." She smiled as she began to pace the room.  
"Me? A desk job?" She laughed softly at him. "Not in your dreams and never again." She shook her head, "I've had enough of playing prisoner." She looked out at the balcony, parting the curtain with her fingers. "Like I'd stay behind four walls ever in my life again." He watched her stoicly, trying to rise to his feet. His shoulder hurt like a bitch but felt much better.  
"I gave you a dose of my blood but it doesn't work as quickly as it used to on you." She shook her head as she crossed her arms. "You must be immune to my latest mutation. your anti-bodies from the vaccine must have guarenteed that." Jake rolled his shoulders back as he sat up, stretching his palms to the sky as he cracked his fingers and stretched his neck. He looked around the room as his eyes focused.

"Where the fuck is Ashley." Sherry took out her crystal style phone. It started to beep as she pushed a button.  
"Madagascar. If you hadn't moved, I would have had a tracker on you, too." Jake furrowed his eyebrows as he pointed at her.  
"So you were on the roof?" He cocked his head, "Why didn't you help?"  
"I did." She nodded. "I had just gotten there when the J'avo broke in. I barely had the time to set a tracker on Agent Graham. " She looked away when she said the name. Jake noticed the look and he knew what it ment.  
"Sherry, Ash and I aren't..." She shook her head and cut him off.  
"I don't know and nor do I care." She smiled softly as she put her fingers on one hip, the other digging in her utility sidepack for something. She had a small bullet-style hypodermic. She loaded it in her gun and aimed at Jake. He threw his hand up, flinching as she shot him in the arm. She giggled as she put her handgun down, blowing the end like a movie star. "Well, now I can at least keep tabs on ya."

Jake bared his teeth as he growled. "You crazy fuckin..."  
"Well... I'm not your crazy fuckin' bitch, now, am I?" She threw a sandwich at him and he caught it with his eyebrow raised.  
"Was that a question or a...?" She cut him off.  
"Statement." She quickened her step as she went towards the balcony, swinging her feet over it.  
"Sherry!" He threw his hand out. "Wait!" She paused, looking over her shoulder.  
"America thanks you, Muller. You saved one of our own. However, your job ends here." She smiled as her feet dangled over the rails, holding onto it with her hands as she balanced like a child. Jake was on his feet and heading towards her as she watched the sun's rays dance on the waves of the water. "Don't." She called back softly. She shook her head and spoke aggressively when he didn't stop. "Save it, Wesker." She closed her eyes, knowing that name hurt him. She could feel his piercing gaze upon her as it filled with anger. She released a soft pant against her will, holding back her tears as she breathed in, ready to leap off.

Jake grabbed her arm, pulling her back aggressively. She fought his hands off but he spun and straddled her, holding her down.  
"Sherry." His eyes danced upon hers as he watched her softly, wondering why she was doing this to him. "I thought you got my note?" He fought the pain in his shoulder as they struggled. He pressed her down as he pressed his tall, lean frame against her soft curves.  
"Oh, I got it, Jake. Thanks." She spat out at him, panting hard as she resisted him.  
"Goddamn it, super girl. I didn't want it to end like that." He shook his head.  
"Oh, really?" She stopped struggling. He noticed the tiny bracelet on her arm, the thin gold chain leading to a little heart locket. He stared at the engraving, the one he had skillfully placed on it with his own hands. The memory of their failed conception. Sherry noticed his glance at it and fought back her tears, struggling again as she refused to surrender.  
"Let me go!" He held her there, hesitating as he pinned her wrists once more.  
"I... I'm so sorry."

They stared at each other for a moment too long as they always had. Their eyes taking in every detail as if they were looking at each other for the first time. They panted heavily as Sherry struggled every now and then beneath him. There was nothing else to say between them.  
His tears soaked her face as he brough his lip to hers, kissing her softly. She accepted it, not knowing why. He slid his arms to her waist, raising her white, short sleeved buttoned blouse slightly as he felt the small of her back with his fingers. He pulled away from her lips. "Please, forgive me, super girl." She stared at him, scoffing in disbelief as she began to pant again.

"Let me go!" She pushed at his bad shoulder, making him groan in pain. He let her go momentarily but recovered, pushing her to the floor again. "Get off of me!" She got her wrist free and started pounding on her chest, crying out with rage. He held on, refusing to let her leave. Her cries of rage became whimpers as she burts into tears, no longer able to keep up her stoic disguise. She released the tension in her body as gave into his arms. He cuddled her, rolling to his side to face her. She melted against his body, hers shaking with emotion.  
"Sherry. I..." He paused, staring into those hurt-filled eyes.

"Stop it." She pushed him again, scrambling to her feet. She pulled her weapon on him as she backed up to the balcony. "Just stop it, Jake!" She shook her head. "If you did, you wouldn't have left me. You wouldn't have left us." She couldn't keep her posture as her chest heaved, her gun wavering before her as her hands shook with rage, her face becoming angry. "Admit it! All we were, is a live changing experience. You never loved me." She shook her head again. "Just stop lying." Her head waved to the side as she felt her knees buckling. Jake put his hands in the air as he slowly got to his feet, saying nothing. "Jake, you told me not to love you. I know that. You taught me I deserved love, a lesson I needed to love myself, to respect not just who I am but what I am." She dropped her aim. "Just not your love." She turned to jump off the balcony and he leaped over with her, turning her to face him, grabbing her in his arms protectively like he had done so many times before.

They crashed to the floor, still at the same villa Ashley was kidnapped in. He held her as she cried and panted in his arms. She put her hands on his arms, digging her nails in as she screamed in rage. Jake fought her back again, shaking her in his arms. "Goddamn it, super girl. I love you! I have always loved you! Since China! You are the only thing I have in this world worth fighting for." She began to fight him again, trying to shake him off as she turned her face away from him. He grabbed her face with his fingers and stared into her eyes, nose to nose as they shared each other's breaths. "You are the reason I breathe, super girl." He hesitated as they stared in each other's eyes among the rubble and ashes from the night before. "You saved my soul. If it weren't for you..."  
Sherry cut him off with a slap. She continued to stare at him, panting as more tears flowed from her eyes. He finally let her go, rising to his feet. She rolled to her stomach and watched him, feeling as broken as the rubble around her. He couldn't face her anymore. The only sound was the waves and the panting of their breaths for a long time.

"I always loved you." He repeated it, staring through the fence to the beach view, memories of when they escaped Ustanak in China flooding him. Their night alone together on a Yatch before escaping to the safety of Hong had told her then not to love him, he had showed her that her body was capable of pleasure yet he didn't give himself to her. Their relationship was consummated on their last mission together, when her G-Virus mutated out of control, giving her an alternate identity. Even as the sadistic entity G, he loved her. He balled his hands into a fist and punched a wall, letting it crumble and shatter beneath his fingers. He panted heavily for a long moment before putting it back down. "Just what the hell do you want me to do?" His voice trembled as he slunk to the floor, pinching his nose as he put his head back. He closed his eyes and let the serenty of the wind enter his lung. "I can't change what I did."

Sherry picked herself up, entering some keys into her phone as she changed the subject. "I have an extraction team coming to our position. I just need to call." She sighed before stating her demands. "Leave Spain. Do not interfere with my duty." Jake's eyes went wide then he snapped his head over his shoulder, glaring at the petite blonde behind him in disbelief.  
"That's not what I meant and you know it." He shook his head, sighing deeply before he began to pace.  
"Sherry." He turned to face her once more. "Please. Let me at least help." She shook her head.  
"Ashley doesn't concern you. She is a DSO agent, you, Muller, are not." She pushed past him to the unlocked gate, raising her phone to her ear. He swiped it from her hand, hanging it up before it could connect. She paused, clasping her hands in front of her stomach like she always did when nervous. He turned to face her, saying nothing for a long moment, their awkward silences becoming meaningful again.

"Sherry." He whispered in her ears as he wrapped his arms around her. "Forgive me." He shook his head, then burried it in the nape of her neck as his chin rested on her shoulder. He breathed her scent in deeply. He really did miss her. His hands slid across her stomach with hesitation, one sliding down to settle on her hip. She put her head down, refusing to shed another tear on him. She had no answer as she struggled with herself. He kissed her neck gently as she continued to watch the waves. "Please, super girl." He whispered between his kisses, trying to console her. His other hand slid to her stomach, just below her belly button. he rubbed her belly gently, letting his tears soak her shoulder and neck as he continued to kiss her softly.

He wanted their child more than she would ever know. It was unfortunate that her body as G had produced G-Virus embryos. Jakes blood was spliced with an original G-Virus sample and used to make a vaccine to cure her. In the end, they don't know why their one human embryo failed. It could have been the stress on her body from the virus or the situation. Either way the entire process of waiting to see if their child would survive had torn them apart. He had found himself loving her Mr. Hyde personality more every day as Sherry isolated herself, pushing him away. After the loss of their pregnancy, he wanted to do everything in his power to protect her. Leaving was the only way. Jake knew that they would be hunted to the ends of the Earth. At least if Sherry lost her healing factor from the vaccine, the DSO could protect her. He simply didn't have the resources to do it. Jake never wanted to be his father. He left for the right reasons and he didn't leave a child behind. Just his lover with unanswered questions and a feeling of betrayal.

**Next chapter contains lemon XD You have been warned ;) WOOHOO! Reconciling? Or hot angry sex?**

* * *

**WARNING: HARDCORE LEMON! DONT LIKE? DONT READ! RATED M FOR MATURE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. SKIP TO NEXT PART IF YOU WANT TO JUST READ THE RECAP OF THE CONVO AND CONTINUATION**

Sherry turned and slipped her hands up his neck to his shoulders. She kissed Jake softly, suckling his full lips with her own before allowing herself to let go of her hesitations. They kissed passionately as she melted into his arms. Without a word he scooped her up by her butt, pressing her body to his as lifted her thigh over his hips. He continued to kiss her as he stumbled inside the villa, back to the master bedroom. He wasn't the type to take a lady then and there. That was for whores. Sherry was too precious, too beautiful to not be shown respect and honor.

They parted lips only for a breath of air between their heated kisses. Every touch of her small fingers on his skin, every flick of her tongue, the tickle of her breath on his face and lips made him pulse with desire. Only Sherry had ever done that to him. He relished the moment as he interfered with her mission, breaking her orders for him and only him. Sherry never faltered from her mission, no matter the odds. Yet here she was, in his arms, panting against his swelling pants as she writhed against them. They tore at each other's clothing as they crashed down onto the bed, Jake's legs dangling off of it. He couldn't wait to see her naked again, to be inside of her. They had only done this once besides when G had taken over with lust for Jake, throwing herself on him without mercy. Being with Sherry wasn't like anything he had experienced before. It was more than physical, every moment was a spiritual connection.

Their hands slid all over, groping, grabbing, stroking, lightly, gently, strongly with need a desire. He unbuttoned her shirt as she slid her pants off. Jake moaned as he greedily suckled her breast in his hand, scooping her up with his bad arm by the small of her back, not caring about the pain. He kissed her hard as she pulled at his belt, her fingers playfully undoing his pants as soon as the belt was loose. She pulled his shirt over his head followed by a chuckle at his "I kill zombies" shirt. "Oh Jake, that shirt is horrible." She giggled before suckling his chest, kissing his strong muscles with her tongue and lips.  
"I know." He smirked, cocking his head. "You bought it for me."

He scooped her up with his hands on either of her butt cheeks. He dropped to his knees, tugging her forward hard, then slid her thighs over his shoulder. She looked at him with wide eyes as she caught the naughty twinkle in his that she knew meant trouble. "Jake, what are you...?"  
"Shhhh," he whispered softly, the sensation of the wind from his lips tickling her sex. She held back a whimper as her hips tensed, bucking lightly at the flick of his tongue.  
"Oh no, Jake..." She stared at her watch. "We don't have time for..." She was interrupted by the sound of her own moans as he dove his tongue in, licking her like the plate of his favorite desert. She cried out, throwing her head back as her thighs tensed, her body pulsing with desire as she found herself at his mercy. She shook her head as she gripped the posts of the antique styled bed. "Jake, stop. Really, I'm behind..."  
Jake interrupted again. He rose to his feet, tugging her up as she gasped with surprise. He moaned as he tongued her. "Shhhh," he whispered again. "I like being behind." He flipped her over, her thighs still on his shoulders as he pushed her forward. She steadied herself on her forearms as he continued to take advantage, slipping a finger into her sex along with his tongue. He moaned with a chuckle, his voice purring as he whispered with a cock of his head. "I see your healing factor is still there?" He licked his fingers as he pushed her ass forward with his hands, letting her go as her face crashed into the bed.

Sherry turned to face him, a flash of anger in her eyes. "Jake..." He was kissing his way up her thighs again, licking his way up to her smooth behind. "God I missed this." He grabbed her butt gently, giving it a squeeze with both hands and slapped one of her cheeks gently. He chuckled as he flipped her over. "Sorry, babe." He forgot for a moment that Sherry had been through so much trauma and abuse at the hands of scientists since she was a teenager. She sure as hell wasn't going to let him have too much fun.

Jake's face was sincere. He backed away slowly, allowing her to end the encounter of her own free will. She surprised him, pulling her legs up and over his hips, pulling him down on top of her with her hands around his back in one smooth motion as he crashed ontop of her, barely able to catch himself on his forearms.  
The pain in his shoulder reminded him of what she did for him. She gave up her mission to protect Ashley to save his life. She was here, with him, instead of doing her job. She kissed him hard, biting his lip. "It's okay, Jake." She smiled, "We're allowed to enjoy each other freely." He hesitated, then moaned into her mouth as he enjoyed her wet sex sliding against his own. He reached down to stroke himself as they continued to entwine their limbs. He rolled half way to his side as he put an arm around her back again, sliding his hand up the back of her neck and into her hair. She slid her hands down to meet his. "Jake... Please." She whispered, whimpering into his ear as her body trembled against his. He loved her voice as she begged. His body shivered with fever from her words. "Please, take me." He chuckled as his deep blue eyes met hers. His flashed with excitement.  
"God, I love it when you beg." He rose to his feet, tugging her hips down to the edge of the bed again. "As if you have to ask." He positioned himself as her hands stroked his sex. He threw his head back, grabbing the post with his good arm as she put her legs up around his shoulders once more. "Are you ready, super girl?" He cocked his head. "Better have your cape, cus we're goin' to fly."

He entered her slowly, knowing that her healing factor made constant repairs to her body. She felt like a virgin around his sex as her body resisted him. He chuckled with another moan as he grabbed the opposing bedpost with his other hand. "God, your powers aren't fair." He whispered, narrowing his gaze, his cock throbbing with pain as he pressed himself inside her. He thew his head back again, counting backwards in his head as writhed beneath his hips. His chest heaved as he groaned again against her cries. "We haven't even started yet and this is torture." He gritted his teeth again, trying every trick he knew to hold back. Sherry grabbed the bedposts, pulling her thighs off of his shoulders and onto his hips. She kissed him deeply as she positioned herself with her hands, plunking herself down on him. They both cried out in ecstasy as their bodies mimicked each other's movements instinctively, both already close to climax at the intensity of their movements. "Love me, Jake." She licked up his chest to his neck slowly, then whispered in his ears.  
"Fuck me, now!"

A smirked curled his flushed face as he cocked his head again. "You got it, babe." He slid a hand down to her ass as he gripped her body against his. She slid a hand up his back, holding the bedpost as she rode her orgasm out on top of him. She threw her head back, moaning with pleasure as he left her butt fall to the bed. He slipped his hand around the back of her neck, her hair slipping between his fingers as they moaned, staring into each other's eyes as their noses nearly touched. He licked her lips as she gritted her teeth, staring into his eyes intensely.  
"Harder!" She begged, grabbing his ass with her hand. She pressed herself against his body, pulling her feet up to his chest. He slipped both hands under her back as he bore into her with full intensity, barely able to hold himself back as he allowed himself to fade out of reality. All there was to him was her pleasure and the fact that he was the one delivering it.

He pushed his fists into the bed, pushing his full weight into her as he pushed harder, rode faster. She began to scream beneathe him, her body tensing and relaxing, her toes curling as she tug them into his pecs. Jake closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her, falling on top of her as he felt himself losing control. "Sherry, I'm gonna..." He opened his eyes to meet her half-hooded gaze. She shook her head at him, her body going stiff beneath him.  
"Jake, stop."

Jake's eyes went wide with disbelief. He pressed his fists into the bed again to gain his balance as he shook his head at her. "Wait, what?" Sherry grabbed the bed posts with both hands and kicked off of his chest, sending Jake crashing to the floor, right on top of his balls. He cried out in pain, grabbing his junk with his hands.  
"Sherry!?" He shook his head again as he pointed at her, "What the hell?" His eyes went from anger to concern as he watched the look on her face. The solemn grey-blue eyes that molded into a pouting, puppy face.  
"We can't." She whispered. He was annoyed but understood.  
"Well, not the best time to decide that, in the heat of the moment?" He whimpered as he got to his feet, sighing in frustration, "My poor balls." He was still hard, his skin flushed with arousal and annoyance. He held his hands out speechlessly, as he watched her gaze. He heard the click of her gun, pointed right at him.  
"Sherry...?" He stared with disbelief as he put his hands up, palms facing her. She hugged the bed-post with the arm her gun was in, her legs dangling off the bed as she reached for her clothes, her gaze unwavering. "What the fuck, are you G?" She shook her head softly.  
"No." She blushed softly as she panted, trying to still her breath. "Now you know how I felt when you left." She shook her head as she slid off the bed. "I'm sorry, Jake. This is for our own good." She buttoned her shirt with one hand, then reached for her pants, tucking her bra and underwear into her pocket and side-pack before strapping these on with one hand as well. "Don't follow me."Jake stood there with nothing to say, naked as the day he was born.  
"Why?" He whispered as tears filled his eyes. He thought he finally had her back. He thought he finally had the chance to make things right, to make this up to her. "I'll join the DSO or BSAA or become a Jehova's Witness or Budhist or whatever you want. Please." Now Jake was the one begging. She stepped into her pants and boots, zipping and buckling as needed.

"Jake..." She half-whispered. "My orders are to not let anyone interfere with the mission, by any means necessary." She looked at her gun, then at Jake. "That includes you."  
His face contorted with emotions. Betrayal, confusion, panic. "Sherry?" He begged again. She shook her head.  
"This isn't a reconciliation, Jake. I still love you but we both know how this ends, don't we?" She sighed, "How it always ends." She kept her gun on him as she slowly stepped past him to the balcony. All he could do was watch, unable to bring himself to fight her. She skipped off to the rail once more, de ja vu playing in his head.

"Why, Sherry?" He whispered again. "I surrender damn it!" His voice shook with aggression once more. She paused at the rail. She had no answer for him. It wasn't ever going to be safe for them, even if he did join the DSO. His love was a distraction to her. She had more important things to deal with right now.  
He eyed her face, trying to read what was behind those eyes. "What does Ashley have that is so important?" She paused, hearing herself sigh and pant as she debated sharing her answer.  
"She has data on the experiments Chimerys ran on us." The name brought anger to both of their eyes. "I am going to end what our fathers took from us. What he took from us." She put both hands on her gun now as she stood up, taking a few steps towards Jake, anger in her eyes. "Normalcy, Jake. Don't you ever wish you were normal?" He stood there with his hands out, resisting the urge to pace the room.  
"Sherry."

She interrupted his soft voice again. "I know you are like me. You watch the streets, seeing all the happy families, happy faces as they go about doing their business. We don't know normal, Jake. Yet we fight for it for everyone else!" She breathed another quick pant as a tear came to her eye. "That's what Ashley has, Jake. She has information that can bring normalcy to our future." She stepped towards the balcony rail again, her gun still on him. "I'm not doing this for us." She took one last glance at Jake's sad face through the sheer curtain as it flapped in the wind. His lean, toned body before her, hers aching to be against it forever. She slipped her feet over the rails, tearing her vision away as she leaped down. She called out one last answer before her heels clacked away on the cobblestone driveway. "For once, I'm doing this for me."

* * *

**Untitled**

Jake paced the bedroom like madman. He had gone upstairs with Sherry, expecting what had happened between them to be reconciliation. Instead he felt betrayed and humiliated. He threw his clothes on in a rush, tying his boots with frustration as his hands shook with confusion and rage. He was calm enough when she was here, pointing a gun at him as she got dressed, leaving him wanting in a heap on the floor. He had fallen on his privates, which still hurt like a bitch.

She had interrupted their passion, going so far as to literally kick him off of her as he was about to climax. She demanded that he went home and not follow her to Ashley. Her orders were to kill anyone who interrupted her mission, including Jake. Sherry had allowed Ashley to be kidnapped after she put a tracker on her. Jake being there had compromised her mission to save Ashley in order to retrieve data on Chimerys, Jake and Sherry's terrorist nemesis from Italy. The same man that brought them together and tore them apart.

She only saved Jake because he had taken most of the blast from the grenade that separated him and Ashley. Without Sherry's blood and care, he would have been dead. Yet she abandoned him, threatening him with a gun, claiming that the way he felt when his naked body hit the floor, physically paining his as he landed on his privates, was how she felt when he left her. He had left after their failed pregnancy, which was also because of Chimerys although they did consummate their relationship after that happened.

Sherry said she was doing this for Jake's own good but most importantly for herself. In a way, he understood her reason for vengeance. On the other hand, this was Sherry Birkin. The sweetest girl he ever met. Jake didn't even know who she was anymore. He felt more disappointed in himself than anything else. He felt he had broken her. She was right. This is how she must have felt. She felt his disappearance more than he could understand and now, she was gone, too, with him obeying like a lovesick puppy.

He tore into the sandwich she had throw at him earlier, tearing into it with hunger. He savored the few minutes that it distracted from his thoughts, enjoying the apple smoked bacon and fresh boccacinni cheese shoved between layers of mortadella. Sherry packed one mean, satisfying sandwich. The dark, preserved olives added tang to the sweetness of fresh ingredients layered with the cured, fatty meat. Even a can of sardines or a cooked rat would have made Jake a happy man after his week without food but all he could think about was the fact that Sherry knew he was with her target and came prepared.

Jake picked up his clothes and went over to the balcony to dress himself as he planned his next steps. He gazed out at the water, facing south. He could almost make out his destination on the horizon. This wouldn't be the first time he broken his promise to ditch her. He was going to make sure they both lived long enough for it to not be the last. He dressed himself on the balcony, his pants going on rather uncomfortably. He found himself shifting in them as he just couldn't take his mind off of what happened. Such bliss turned into tragedy. His heart sunk at the thought of Sherry's words. Since their split at the DSO building in Washington, DC. He didn't know who she was anymore. Gone was the sweet, innocent rookie agent he knew and loved. He felt like he had truly stolen than innocence. No, not Jake... Chimerys. He was to blame. He had forced them into a situation they were not prepared for. Their relationship, yes, that was okay but the failed pregnancy because of Sherry's virus producing G-Embryos, that was unplanned.

He lit a cigarette and peered out at the shoreline, a helicopter taking off in the distance. At least now he had a reference point to where she left. Unfortunately the distance was too great for even his keen eyes to follow. He watched it solemnly with remorse as it faded south into the horizon. A noise snapped him back into reality. He reacted too slowly as he found himself pinned beneath a dog. "Well," Jake grabbed it's muzzle with his hand, putting his 909 Glock up to the bleeding mutt's chin, "You know how to kill a boner." Three more leaped up as he put two clips into the first's head, kicking it's limp body into the air before rolling to his feet. He kicked one in it's side and took off through the villa. Jake turned, pulling out his shotgun from his back as he slipped the 909 into it's holster. He cocked his head, bopping to the soundtrack of his mind. "Who let the dogs out?" Two leaped up towards him and he shot five times to the beat of the song, the two falling dead as they reached his feet. He took out some clips and loaded the shotgun once more, looking for where the third animal went. "I said who let the dogs out?" The third dog circled behind the curtain. Jake shook his head. "Bastard, you ruined the fun." He loaded his shotgun as he heard J'avo running up the stairs behind him. "Ah..." He smirked as he shot the last mutt through the curtain. "Seems like my guests have all arrived."

He slipped the shotgun onto his back as he began to whistle a tune. He walked slowly towards the stairs, shooting the J'avo in the head one at a time until he had to reload. Jake put his finger out and waved it in the air as some of the fallen burst into chrysalis before him. "Tss." He hissed, "Gotta let me check my inventory after all?" He loaded up his weapons as he waited for them to hatch, "Running a lil low on my shotgun..." He let his gaze meet the J'avo for a moment before finishing his reload, removing his silencer. "Guess I don't need that anymore." He slipped it into a pocket of his side pack. He loaded up a magnum and pulled it out as the J'avo began to hatch. "Okay! Now..." He cocked his head as three turned into Napads and one grew wings. "Where were we?" He took two Napads out when a bright light shone at him through the window at the end of the hall.

"For fuck's sake!" Jake's eyes went wide. He paused for a moment, paralyzed with fear before rushing to a door beside him. The door was locked. He burst through it with his good shoulder, the door splintering against his force as he fell through it. He pressed himself against the door frame as the J'avo combusted into flames from the chopper's fire. It hovered at the end of the hallway, taking out the entire wall with a hail of bullets. Jake sighed, pulling himself back inside of the room. "C'mon, really?" He stared down at the few shotgun bullets remaining in his hand. "I thought you bastards wanted Sherry?" He pressed himself to the frame again, ducking his head back in when the chopper opened fire once more. He didn't have anything on him to take something that big out.

Jake shook his head as he loaded the shotgun once more to full capacity, putting the rest of the bullets in his pocket. "Fuck this shit..." He rushed out into the hallway, avoiding the hail of bullets as he raced towards the chopper, shotgun pumping lead at the glass. As a merc, you never got to choose the way you'd die. At least Jake had chosen the way he'd like to avoid dying. He kicked off the broken wall and straight up onto the glass of the J'avo flown attack chopper. he barely had time to slip his shotgun back onto his back as he hung on for dear life. The chopper rose into the air, spinning and tipping as the J'avo tried to shake him off. Jake began punching the glass, trying to rupture it. At least this would be his ride to Sherry. He heard an explosion in the distance, momentarily taking his attention off the chopper. He held on as a black smoke cloud billowed in the distance.

Anger flushed Jake's face as he narrowed his eyes at his prey. he knew that must have been Sherry's chopper. He began wailing on the glass with both fists as he held on with his knees. Finally, it gave way and he reached an arm in to choke the living shit out of the pilot, still pounding the glass with his other hand. The other occupying J'avo gave him a hand with the glass as they tried to shoot him down. Jake fell through on top of the pilot with a crash, glass splintering everywhere. "Thanks assholes. Couldn't have done it without ya!" He began to take them out with his fists and feet. Luckily none of them had the time to mutate. The last one crumbled to ash in his hand as he gave it a final blow to the head, it's skull splattering between his fist and the wall he pinned it to. The chopper's siren were blurring as he grabbed the controls, trying to steady it. Jake hadn't flown in a long time but he knew his way around these things. He pulled up on the handle, trying to steer away from the cliffs, barely gaining control as he shot across the sea like a bat out of hell. He was able to stabilize it enough to take him south to Morocco, the distance not being so far from Spain. The chopper finally lost complete control as it spiraled above the ocean. At this height and speed it would be like hitting cement. Jake closed his eyes, hoping the blades wouldn't touch him as he took a leap of faith into the ocean below, the chopper coming to a crash in the waves above him as he let himself dive deeply into the dark, deep waters of the Mediterranean sea.

Chapter 61: Chapter 61  
Jake found himself washed up on the shoreline, spitting water and sand from his lips. He dragged himself up out of the waves, feeling cold, battered and broken. It was getting dark as he wandered the shoreline, hoping to find a sign of Sherry's trail. A helicopter lay burning in the distance. He followed the coast until Sherry's boot print trail dipped off into the water near the wreckage. Several other footprints lead towards the water, soft piles of ash all over as her prints scattered the shore. Sherry must have run into J'avo on the way. A small blood trail he hadn't noticed before was being washed away by the waves. Jake dove into the water against his better judgement. His shoulder was much better than it was before but the crash into the ocean made him feel bruised all over.

A castle lay offshore in the near distance, crumbling into the water. He pressed himself along the cliffs of the shoreline, prying with his feet for an underwater entrance. "Bingo." He swam down, feeling the place out with his fingers. Jake lived for the thrill of the battle, the fear of the unknown but water could scare the shit out of him. The lack of knowing where he was in the dark, unable to control the limits of the human body that he pushed every day as training. The water was all encompassing. He respected and feared it.

He swam as far down as he could, following ruined steps covered in coral and moss. He came up for air once then dove back down into the abyss below. His lungs burned as he held his breath much longer than he thought he would be able to. Some of the tests run on him in China and Italy included lung capacity, endurance, pressure limits and thermal tests. The water was cold down here. At least 20 minutes had passed. He fought against his body's involuntary movements, diving further through the dark, using his hands to lead the way. He was well past 30 minutes by now. He tugged with all of his strength at the rusted door before him. The moss was disturbed around it. He knew Sherry must have come this way. He used all of his strength, nearly snapping the handle off as it gave way.

The world was beginning to fade around him when he saw a light near the end of the tunnel. He knew he wasn't dead as water began to fill his lungs. Death was described as peaceful once you saw the light. He used the last of his strength to kick off the bottom of the cavern, releasing the last of his breath, gasping for air as he emerged. His fingers were numb. They barely grasped the ledge as he pressed himself to the walls of the pool he was in. He coughed violently, spewing the water from his lungs through his mouth, resisting the urge to vomit. He spotted a wet suit and scuba equipment on the ground, discarded by Sherry no doubt.

He looked up at the light. The place must have been using a generator or had lines from the mainland. He could hear the wind whipping through the cracks in the walls. The trail of blood lead up from where he wadded in the water. He dug his hands into the cracks of the pool tiles and dug his way up, grunting at the pain in his shoulder. Once he lay on the flat, dry castle floor he laughed, breathing a sigh of relief. He promised himself that once this mission was over, he was going to marry his crazy bitch of an on and off girlfriend. He was going to give it to her until she cried after what she did and he was going to make sure she enjoyed it. A wicked smirk came to his face. Right now, he just hoped she was safe.

The wet footprints and trail of blood mixed with water stopped abruptly. More ash scattered around on the floor and walls of the tunnel he was in. Whatever Sherry fought, it was long gone, clearing the way for him. Some of the tile was riddled with bullet holes. He found some blood on the walls again. A few drops forming another trail. He was happy to see Sherry could heal herself after the vaccine she was given but it also made him very sad. He also wanted that life of normalcy for her. She deserved it. As fucked up as his childhood was, his mother loved him. Sherry had two rich parents but no love, only to be tortured by the hands of the same government she was fighting for.

Her trail stopped at a vent he couldn't reach. The vent cover was torn off and discarded on the floor. Even if he could reach it, there was no way he'd fit through something so tiny. He tried to pry the rusted, iron door that lead to the next room. It looked like it hadn't been used for centuries but a rusty gauge in the tiles of the next room revealed otherwise. Jake stepped back as far as he could before lunging at the door. He dashed at it, delivering a strong side kick to it. It still didn't budge. He shot the hinges and the lock reluctantly, not wanting to draw attention. He kicked it again with a howl of rage. This time it came down. He wandered the long, wide hallways, checking every room like he was trained to. He found a few ammo caches which was great since most of his ammunition was now soaked and unusable. He shuddered against the cold as his clothes dried slowly. He couldn't wait to reach the surface, hoping it would be warm from the outside air and wind passing through the windows. He didn't mind the cold but after the testing he had been through, he was not happy to be wet. It reminded him too much of when he got his scar in the jungles of Brazil, waking up on the shore downriver of a waterfall. He never found the bastard that came at him with a knife but he sure as fuck fought him off. The scar on his face was a reminder of his father-figure's betrayal.

Jake broke the promise to himself to never trust again. The only person he loved, trusted, respected? He would die for Sherry Birkin. What they had was beyond anything the human mind could comprehend. Their connection was otherworldly. He shook his head at the thought. Maybe it really wasn't meant for this world. Their crazy fathers were best friends and rivals, probably turning in their graves at the thought that despite all odds, their offspring fell in love. If their parents were normal, they would have had common upbringings and would have known each other. Perhaps they would have a sibling relationship with their age gap. In fact, they may have even hated each other. Their lack of normalcy is what brought them together and tore them apart. Jake wanted it for her badly, even if he was not the one to provide it.

"Help!" A familiar voice cried out. Jake jogged softly to where it came, peering into the next room. Ashley was cuffed to a wall. A familiar face stepped out of the room and wandered down the hall, his slicked back blonde hair touching the collar of his jacket. Chimerys. Jake spit at the floor. He hated the man. He was kept prisoner in Italy for three months by the prick, caged like an animal. Jake was kept naked, forced to entertain him by running an obstacle course that got harder every day as he was forced to be prey for new B.O.W.s and devices. His reward was scraps of food he's have to eat off the floor like a dog. He rubbed his neck, remembering the collar he wore. It was some sort of plant based B.O.W. That strangled him whenever his disobeyed, digging its thorns into his neck. Jake nearly froze in fear as he watched him walk away to another room. Ashley huddled in a corner of the room behind the bars of an old prison room. Two guards stood before the doorway, their eyes covered up in bandages. Jake saw the familiar Signs that they were J'avo, their eyes bleeding through the bandages on their face. "Fucking great." He whispered. Ashley looked up. He put a finger to his lips, shushing her. She returned he gesture, pointing at the creatures. She threw a piece of tile at the opposing wall to show him what she meant. The creatures came alive from their statuesque pose, flying into a fit of rage as they ran to the wall, stabbing and slashing with their claws. Jake picked up a brick and kicked in the door. The creatures went still for a moment, then ripped their claws out of the walls, their claws tearing the tiles off with their movements. Jake ducked and threw a brick the way he came, kicking the door closed behind him. He cocked his head, admiring his own handiwork as he barred the door. "Piece of cake." He pulled out a lock pick kit from his utility pack and got to work on Ashley's cell.

"So, have you met Birkin?" He whispered as he peeked over his should at the doors, his fingers expertly feeling out the grooves in the lock.  
"Yeah, she went looking for the key." Ashley pressed herself up against the bars. "I tried to get those things to attack him by shouting but they wouldn't." She shook her head.  
"Forget about that, which way did she go?"  
Ashley pointed to a vent in the ceiling across the room. Blood was leaking from it, a large pool of it on the floor. Ashley winced at the sight, shaking her head. "I don't know how she made it in that condition. Jake shook his head, pursing his lips as he locked out the details. "Jake." She continued to whisper. "They caught her by surprise when they entered the room. She shot them but they don't take damage so easily. She ended up climbing one of their backs into the vent," she shook her head as her doe eyes filled with tears, "but not before..." Clank! Then lock fell to the floor. Jake looked around for cover as he heard the chair he barred the door cracking under the pressure of the razor beasts. He fought with the lock that wouldn't budge.  
"Stand back, Ash!" He pulled out his gun and screwed on the silencer, looking over his shoulder. He shot the lock but the loop still stood in once piece. "Well that's fucking bullshit. Name me a movie where this happens?" He began to kick it with his boot repeatedly.

"Jake!" Ashley yelled, throwing herself against the back wall of the cell. Jake dropped into a roll as the claws came flying towards him in a tornado sequence. He kicked his feet out to trip one, the other falling over he former successfully. "Howdya like that, suckers!" He pulled out his knife and scrambled backwards, pulling his feet out from under them. The pair separated quickly. He cocked his head for a second. "Fast little fucks, aren't they." They charged at Jake's position in the floor as he barely rolled away. Ashley pried a tile from the wall and began to beating it against the cell's lock. "Hey! Hey! Over here!" The morons charged instinctively, slashing at the cell's door, charging right inside. She covered her head, barely ducking back and out of the way with a grunt. One turned to charge her.

Jake shot the opposing wall with his gun, then the door to the next room. He watched them run to it as he pressed himself up against a wall. They scrapped by him, claws out as try began hacking the door. Jake smirked as he grabbed Ashley's hand, cocking his head as he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, "Might as well put them to use." He looked up at the bloody vent and handed Ashley his spare 909-Glock. "Can you use this now?" She shook her head no. She went back to her cell and dug beneath a tile, revealing her triple-shot. "Nice!" He gave her a thumbs up. "So you are an agent?" She hmphed at him and went over to the vent. It was obviously too big for Jake to fit in.

"Hey tall and handsome, help me up! Sherry will need medical attention. I need to find her." Jake nodded at Ashley. With the amount of blood in the room, it was obvious she was either at her limits or her healing factor wasn't so good after the new G-Vaccine normalized her. He let Ashley climb up him, then boosted her feet with his hands. He grunted with pain as his shoulder gave out. Ashley had barely scrambled up in time, swinging her last leg up with a grunt.  
"Okay," Jake called up to her, "I'll find another way to you guys. Stick with Sherry and I'll finish up the sideshow freaks." With a nod Ashley scrambled away.

Chapter 62: Chapter 62  
Jake rolled to the ground as one of the bastards lunged at him, it's clawed hands twirling in the air above his head. He kicked it behind the knees and let it fall to the ground. With a smirk on his face and a chuckle in his voice, he rolled forward and straddled it. He took his knife out and began to attack the organs sticking out from between it's shoulder blades. "Stabbedy stabbedy stab stabbedy stab stab stabbedy..." Jake mumbled playfully as he shanked it repeatedly, a twinkle of joy in his eyes. He was having just a little too much fun with this.

The next one came charging at him, too. He leaped backwards into a crouch as he flung his head back and out of the way, ducking under the claws again. He lunged back onto his forearms and kicked this one up into the air with a scissors kick, flipping back into a hand stance and to his feet. "C'mon..." He whined, "Way too easy." He charged forward at it, delivering a flying kick to it's blind face, spinning it to the ground.

Jake rolled forward to the floor playfully and sat down cross-legged like a bored child. He dropped his cheek to his palm and shot playfully at the wall with the silencer on his Glock, a naughty smile across his face. He watched the thing run around trying to find him, pointing and snickering at it. "Sucker." He sighed with a yawn and stretched out, getting bored with his little game. He stared at the vent wondering what was going on with the girls. He sighed once more, picking himself up off the ground. "Back to work I go." He whipped the shotgun off of his back, pocketing his Glock and aimed with one hand towards his victim. He smiled playfully before releasing a shot into the back of it's head. It's skull shattered before it hit the ground, crumbling into ash like the last one. "Heh," Jake smirked, "Guess you didn't see that coming."

Jake pushed the next door open. This room looked like a lab. He recognized the virus vials on the desk. He pulled out his glock and began shooting them one at a time. "Good thing he didn't get to Ashley on time." He whispered, "Hate to see someone I know as a zombie again." He thought back to the men in Edonia and the ones he had lead to Spain. He didn't care about anyone in his troop but it was still unsettling. He smiled softly. Sherry had really warmed him up to the idea of caring about others, even if he did still distance himself from people. He really did want to make a difference in the world, not just for the sake of vengeance against his father. He went over to the computer, noticing datachips. He read the files onscreen, skimming through them.

"Carla Radames. Derek C. Simmons. C-Virus." One thing caught his eye. "Sherry Birkin." Jake was never told how the C-Virus was made. The file stated that Simmons was Sherry's legal guardian after she was taking from Leon, in order to protect her from Albert Wesker and to research her virus under the disguise of making a cure. She went through daily experiements and testing under her Simmons. Her blood samples were then used by Radames and Simmons to create the C-Virus, splicing Radames' version of the T-Veronica Virus, T-002.

Another name. "Chymeris aka Aloysius C. Wesker." Jake was puzzled. He knew there was one more Wesker, an Alex Wesker. He knew about that file. He knew Chimerys was some genetic hybrid of all the Wesker children's DNA from the project, including his father. He didn't know who made him but he did know what he was trying to accomplish. Combining his father's Uroboros project with the C-Virus and Jake's blood to make something superior. Jake had to bring it to an end. The file listed his known labs and wareabouts, the experiements that were performed when Jake was held hostage. Things he did to Manuela Hidalgo. The failed injection of T-Veronica into Sherry because of Jake's antibodies in her blood. A new project name was listed along with a sample name, the samples he just destroyed. Ashley's name.

He took the data stick from the computer and slipped it into his pocket. Whatever else was in these files, it was Sherry's responsibility to take it to her government. Jake would help despite all the bullshit going on between them. He had to find Sherry and Ashley and blow this place up, that was for sure but without a tracker he knew he was stuck looking around for clues. He was startled by a noise. He hid around the corner behind some filing cabinets. The sickly songs of the dead. Zombies.

Jake stood still, trying not to draw attention. He had expected his nemesis, not this shit. Something rumbled in the vent above him. His glance shot up. He cursed under his breath as he caught a glance of Ashley. "I'll cover you!" She shouted, blowing his cover as the zombies ran to his position. "Jesus fuckin' Christ, girl..." He took a few out with his Glock, then jumped up and gave a roundhouse, separating the group. A bullet went past his ear as he dodged the sound, grateful for his enhanced reflexes. "Ash! For fuck's sakes!" He gave her a dirty look before crushing a zombie's head with his foot.  
"Sorry!" Her hands trebled as she dropped the gun through the vent. Jake shook his head as he dashed for the gun, rolling to the floor as he approached. He swept it up in his hand and used both weapons on the horde before throwing it in the air for Ashley to catch. She barely caught it it than began firing at the zombies as Jake slid under the desk. He pulled out his shotgun. "They just keep fuckin' coming." Jake gritted his teeth, checking his ammo stash. "I hate uninvited guests. Food's almost done." He loaded his magnum up, taking out as many as he could. "Last fuckin' call!" He shook his head as he got up on the desk. "Ash, get the fuck out of here!"

"Okay!" He heard her scramble away from the vent, leading the zombies with her sounds.  
"Quietly!" He snapped at her as he shook his head. He cleared a path with his shotgun, trying to line up as many heads as he could before firing, kicking off any that were grasping at his legs. "Goddamn it." He sighed as he ran out of shells and put his gun on his back. He hoped this place had an armory nearby. He jumped off the desk, popping some 909 bullets into a few more skulls before he shot a conveniently placed fire extinguisher, the white foam covering the zombies, blinding them as he made an escape. "What a fuckin' day."

The hallway wasn't much better, zombies infested the place. He shrugged as he began to smash as many heads together as possible. "At least there aren't any J'avo." He gave a few sweep kicks and roundhouses, breaking the crowd again. He rushed over to where he had shot the fire extinguisher, breaking the glass for an axe. "Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!" He cracked the back of the axe over a few skulls, swinging to break up the crowd around him further, then brought the blade down on a few more of their heads. He spun in a circle like a madman, the crowd beginning to overwhelm him. He could no longer hear Ashley in the vents. He smiled softly, relieved that at least she got away. It also meant her clumsy ass wasn't shooting at him. It did mean he had to find her again though. He'd have to find Sherry to track her. "Wow, am I looking forward to that!" There was one positive that could come from a meeting with her. He needed to know if she was okay.


	15. A complicated life pt 3 of 3

**Untitled**

Jake made his way through the hallways to a spiral staircase made of stone. It was original to the structure, cut off from the touristy places he had wandered through. He was beginning to wonder if this country was as fucked up as Edonia, Spain and China. His clothes were still wet on his back, joined with sweat. Even with his enhanced body temperature and tolerance to the elements, Jake was shivering. The cracked windows and elements eroding the bricks in the wall sent gusts of wind from the sea down his spine. His lip trembled as he continued up the stairs, avoiding zombies as he dragged along the axe, his last usable weapon besides his fists.

Jake hadn't battled so hard, all alone, since the jungles of Brazil where he had earned his scar. The operation had been a setup and everyone he knew was dead or dying. Someone came at him with a knife, thinking he was unworthy of a wasted bullet. Jake would never cover up the scar. It was a reminder of how cold the world was. The world he was now trying to save. His father figure had betrayed the entire mercenary group for money, earning a death in the end when it wasn't enough and negotiations failed. Jake felt sorry for the bastard when he died but never again. That's when he decided to not give a fuck anymore. Everyone and everything he knew was dead, the world was just a rotting wasteland. The only things guaranteed in this life was greed and death.

He pushed on, his body battered and broken. He had to find Ashley. He had to find Sherry. He came to a landing a good twelve stories up, finally above sea level. He had wandered the darkness of this forgotten staircase for hours, killing his way to the light. Finally he saw the sunset, the stars beginning to twinkle in through the large, arched windows of the limestone castle bricks. He chuckled for a moment. This marked another moment of relief, a moment of escape. The zombies sucked at climbing up the large stairs. He swung his axe at one that was close by then sat down to enjoy the moment of rest.  
The moment ended too soon as a doorway opened. Zombies poured in through a vent in the next room. Jake swung his axe, now dull from the skulls and the bricks or the walls. He screamed in rage as his ragged body gave one last stand. He slashed left and right, making a path through them. He kicked a zombie in front of him, then stepped on it's chest as he swung the axe down on it's head. The blade finally gave way as the handle cracked. It remained lodged in the zombie's skull.

Jake panted for a moment, then turned and shoved the handle through another zombie's eye. He had an evil grin on his face, his eyes twinkling with an insane sense of pleasure as the hordes kept coming at him. He ripped off a zombie's arm and broke the bones in two, pulling them apart from the flesh. He wielded them like daggers, spinning and stabbing the eye-sockets of all that opposed him. Time passed as his body went numb and his energy faded, his sweat and the blood of his victims nearly blinding him. A final zombie fell from a vent above, hurtling towards him. He took the two bones and stabbed it in both eye sockets, the bones splintering into several fragments as he pushed the zombie to the floor. He stared at it for a moment, panting.

Blood dripped from the vent above. He stared at the puddles on forming on the floor. He heard a moan from the vent, then something fell out. Not something, someone. He struck a martial arts pose then rushed up to it with another battle cry, about to bash it's head in until he stepped back, startled. He stared at the blonde locks of hair, covered in blood, the black skin-tight thermal suit, torn all over, covered in blood-soaked bandages. The weapons holsters and straps attached to the slender, curvy frame of the petite blonde. "Oh god no..." He put a hand to his nose as he fell to his knees, trying to tear his gaze away. The blonde lifted her head slowly with a whimper, revealing her blue eyes, barely open as she hissed in pain. His eyes went wide.

"Oh god! You're alive!" He scooped Sherry's body into his arms. She felt like a feather in them as the life was draining form her body. "Sherry?" He shook his head, "Why didn't you let me help." She smiled weakly at him.  
"Just who do you think you are?" She brought her hand up to the scar on Jake's face, only to slap him. He stared at her, stunned as her face became flushed with anger.  
"What the fuck?" His eyes searched hers for answers. He was always able to read her like a book but now, this woman confused and scared him. She pushed him away, pulling herself out of his arms, then whimpered and writhed as she pushed herself up against the wall.  
"It's just a scratch, I've been through worse." He went to help her again and she pulled out her stun-rod, charging it up. "Back off, Muller." He stared at her stoically, trying to hide his anger as his chest heaved.  
"Sherry, you are not okay." She cut him off.  
"Where is Ashley?" He shook his head.  
"I dunno. It wasn't safe, I sent her into the vents to find you." He took his eyes off of her, unable to meet her angry gaze.  
"You let her go?" The electricity bouncing off the stun-rod illuminated her eyes as the darkness of sunset engulfed the remaining light in this part of the castle. he spoke softly, trying to calm her down.  
"I had to. She was safer that way and she said you needed medical help." He looked her over for a moment, hesitating as he went to see her bandages. She struck him with the rod and he fell to his feet. "What the fuck, Sher?"  
"Jake." She slunk to her knees against her will. "All you are to me, is a hinderance to my mission. I need that data. He stared at her like she was a ghost. His sweet, innocent Sherry had turned into a cold-hearted bitch. He took the data-stick from his pack and threw it at her feet.  
"There is your fuckin' data. Mission accomplished, Agent Birkin." She eyed it, a soft, fake smile creeping across her lips as she picked it up.  
"Good." She picked up her phone. "Agent Birkin, I need extraction in 15 minutes." She clicked it closed and slipped it into her pocket, then turned off her stun rod. She put it in it's holder on her belt.  
"So, is that it?" He shook his head as his voice trembled with anger. "You're just going to leave your target here?"

Sherry tried to straighten up against the wall, she grabbed her ribs as she gasped out in pain, trying to hide it from Jake. She looked at the data-stick before putting it into her pocket. "My target, was the memory stick. It was never Ashley." She shook her head, "I'm in no condition to find her. Let another agent go in after her." She smiled with a tilt of her head. "My work here is done." Jake narrowed his eyes as he began to pace the room.  
"What happened to the girl that saved the world? It's not good enough for you now?" he threw his arms out to the side, refusing to look her in the eye. Normally Sherry was the type to blush and look away, now they were switching rolls.  
"Jake, the vaccine from your blood doesn't even work." She had a chuckle in her voice that was mocking him. "It's mildly effective and kills anyone with signs of the virus when used one them." she shook her head, "Your blood is useless to us." She smiled up at his face. "Just like you."

He stared at her for a moment, then charged at her, lifting her off the ground by the collar of her thermal suit. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" He stared her down and she didn't turn her blue-grey eyes away. Their noses were nearly touching as they always had in the past, the awkward silences that brought them together than tore them apart lingering on. He could feel tears building in his eyes as he stared her down. He spoke softly and clearly, fighting the cracking in his voice from his emotions. "After all we went through. The times we saved each other?" She cocked her head, doing her best imitation of Jake.  
"Just shared near-death experiences, Jake." She shook her head. "That's all we ever were." The heat of his anger rose through him. He punched the wall above her with his fist and forearm, the limestone splintering into powder that fell around them like snow. They had been this way once before, when he refused to take her innocence. He was only fighting himself then, not this person she had become. "Jake." Sherry smiled softly. "Thank you." He rolled his eyes, then his gaze settled on her once more as he set her to the ground, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "I'm finally the Agent Simmons wanted me to be. I follow orders, I do my job."

Jake shook his head. "When did you decide all of this? About us?" She laughed at him as she began to pace the room.  
"Oh Jake, there is no us. I don't think there was ever an us." She cocked her head as she put a hand on her hip. "Really, you want to know?" Jake stared at the wall where his fist was, noticing her blood against his, shimmering in the moonlight. "About three minutes before you had me undressed." Anger rushed through him. He grabbed her and pinned her against the wall hard, his fingers digging into her shoulders as she winced in pain.  
"Why the fuck did you save me? Why didn't you just complete your mission?" She finally blushed, looking away. He caught her bluff. He shook her against the wall. "Why, Sherry? What the fuck happened to you?" She looked up into his deep blue eyes, their hair and skin the only things illuminating in the darkness of the night. She charged her stun-rod and shocked him again as they both crashed to the floor. Sherry writhed in pain as she tried to get up, the blood dripping through her bandages. She pulled out a grapple gun and shot it at the window. Jake rolled and kicked it out of her hand.  
"Oh no, super girl. Not flying away this time."

He pinned her hands above her head and straddled her hips. She cried out in pain against him. He tore through her bandages, insisting on inspecting the wounds. Bits of shrapnel pierced her skin everywhere as she bled out. The metal twinkled with her blood against the moonlight. "Are you fuckin' crazy?" He stared at her wounds, his hand hovering above her waist and chest, afraid to touch the sharp objects. "There is no way you are making it to extraction." She giggled again.  
"I would have if you'd just fuck off already!" She tried to kick him off and instead injured herself further.  
"Sherry, Ashley is a medic. If you just use your GPS." Sherry shook her head.  
"No, it was just a cluster bomb. I'll be fine." She got a hand free and bit his wrist hard, releasing her other hand, then bucked Jake off. "You want Ashley so bad? Find her yourself." Her shoes clacked to the grapple-gun. She kicked off the ground as she flew into the air, flipping as she hit the window. She threw her cellphone down for him to catch. He caught it as he stood up, then turned to the open doorway, refusing to make eye-contact again as he gave her the cold shoulder.  
"Muller." She called out to him, throwing a box of handgun ammo his way. "Good luck." She disappeared into the night sky.

* * *

**Untitled**

Jake wondered what could have made Sherry so cold. He knew it had to be personal. He was trying to put the pieces together from the file he had read earlier and what he knew about Ashley. Leon had saved Ashley in Spain after giving up Sherry to the government. His father, Albert Wesker was used as a reason to keep Sherry under US "protection" where she was tortured and experimented on. Obviously Sherry must have been jealous. Her hero gave her up to save another girl's life, a normal girl who would come home to a loving family. A girl who would never know the things she went through at the expense of the man she thought was protecting her. Sherry's love for Leon and the betrayal from Simmons lead up to this. Did she even know Ashley had become an agent before this? He knew that Sherry's conflict of interest didn't get in her way before. His father was partly to blame for her stolen childhood and teen years yet she saved Jake for more than just his blood. She accepted him for who he was, knowing he was not his father. This was different though. This girl was saved because of Jake. She also didn't save Ashley at the Villa, instead she tracked her. Could Sherry really be so vengeful towards this girl? It wasn't Ashley's fault for being kidnapped the same way Jake didn't choose his father. This whole personality change in Sherry just didn't make any sense.

Jake pressed on, trying to silence the thoughts in his head. He loaded his Glock and headed through the castle. The lights were flickering now. Jake wondered if he was right about the virus spreading. Sherry's phone rumbled in his hand and he answered it. "Agent Birkin, rendezvous cancelled. Meet with BSSA Agent Sheva Alomar for extraction ETA 15 minutes, half a mile South by South-West. Troops will raid castle and search for Chimerys. Do you copy?" Jake hung up, shaking his head. "Sherry's not here man." He was now torn between blindly trying to find Sherry and getting that bimbo Ashley out of here. He gritted his teeth and continued on.

A familiar ear-piercing, skull splitting scream that could give a shrieker a run for its money told Jake he was going the right way. Jake kicked in the final door separating him and Ashley. He found himself in the center of the castle, the courtroom. "No!" He ran forward to kick the syringe out of Chimerys' hand. A bullet shot it, shattering the vile. Chimerys, Jake and Ashley all looked around the room as Jake marched towards him. Too late. Jake was snatched up by vines and suspended in the air against his will. Ashley received a backhand to the face and a kick to her gut. She curled herself into a ball, writing at the pain in her side. Chimerys laughed as he watched Jake with intrigue. He brought Jake down enough to face him, shoving Ashley aside. "This will prove interesting." He smiled at Jake, then grabbed him by the chin. Jake pulled his head back, trying to resist.  
"You aren't gonna kiss me right?" Jake smirked, "Told ya I don't swing that way." He watched Ashley from the corner of his eye. She was struggling to get up, whimpering in pain.  
"Your resemblance to your father is uncanny." Chimerys removed his shades, his eyes glowing red. He released Jake.  
"Likewise, so I've been told." Jake peered around the room, looking for an escape. He noticed a hooded sniper on the balcony above. She wore a torn skin-tight thermal suit, blended into the shadows aside from the bloody bandages that stood out like a sore thumb. He tried not to draw any attention to her.

Sherry knew she only had one shot at ending this. Her presence was already known and she was sure to be found at any moment. J'avo began to flood the hallways. She fought against the pain as her hands shook, ruining her aim. She bit down on her sniper pill, knowing the sedative would ruin her reaction time but welcoming the relief it brought from the pain, taking the edge off. She took a deep breath, then released it as the pill took effect, squeezing down on the trigger. Mission accomplished. Chimerys grabbed his neck as Sherry's tracker punctured him. She changed her cartridge and shot the vines that restrained Jake, setting him free. "Here!" She ran forward to throw the data-stick at Jake who caught it instinctively before his feet hit the floor. Chimerys smiled. "Impressive." He kicked Jake hard, sending him crashing through a wall then turned and jumped up onto the balcony Sherry was on. Her boots clacked against the tiles as she ran to her next weapon, Chimerys teleporting before her. She picked up the rocket launcher, knowing the damage it would do at close range. She closed her eyes, then opened them with a deep breath, time standing still as she took her aim. This was her last stand and she knew the consequences it would bring. She whimpered against the pain and took her shot as Chimerys grabbed the rocket between his fists, trying to steer it away. Sherry locked her thighs over his hips and fired without so much as a blink, releasing her thighs and her weapon as she let the propulsion send her flying backwards.

Jake's eyes went wide as he witnessed the event. Sherry's tiny body hurtled into the air, breaking through the stone balcony towards the tiled floor below. Jake threw the data towards Ashley who was now on her feet, then leaped to grab Sherry. The force of her fall crumbled the floor beneath Jake.  
"Jake!" Ashley cried out from above. Jake shook his head as he came to his senses. "Ashley, half a mile, South by South West, don't look back!" He could hear the whistles and hisses as J'avo began to fill the room. He threw Sherry's phone up to Ashley who surprisingly caught it. "Go, now!" With a nod she ran through the castle towards the exit. Jake didn't know how the girl was going to make it to the shore. That would be the rendezvous point. It would be a good swim. He had no time to watch over Ashley. The girl was in good enough condition to fend for herself. Sherry on the other hand.

Jake was afraid to look down at Sherry, knowing the blast had torn the remaining clothes from her flesh. He could smell burning skin and hair, things he wouldn't want to witness on Sherry. He took off his shirt and wrapped it over her to protect her exposed muscle and bone. He could hear her breathing and that was enough for now. He had to get her out of here. He found her grapple on her hip and used it as the J'avo poured in through the hole in the floor above. He pressed her back to his chest and his arm under hers then fired it at the balcony. He let go just above the ground floor, crashing to the floor onto one knee as he scooped her into his arms, then took off the way Ashley had gone. He went through a doorway and spun around the corner, pausing to catch his breath as he took out a few J'avo with his 909. Sherry cried out in pain in his arms as he pressed her against his body protectively. He looked down at the mess of singed blonde hair. "Sherry, you are one crazy bitch." He shook his head. He scooped her up and continued on, hearing her chuckle back.  
"I learned from the master." Jake smiled softly as he heard the familiar sickly sound of her flesh healing. He knew her recovery time from just burns had been two months the last time. He didn't know what it would be now after receiving a vaccine with his blood.

He escaped the castle entrance and into the flooded courtyard, BSAA troops already storming the castle. He dropped to his knees, covering Sherry with his body as he hunched over her. The agents ran around them. All but one. Sheva.  
"Jake!" She called out softly, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet. Jake was covered in sweat, soot, blood. He was nearly too exhausted to stand.  
"Sherry needs a medic, stat." He not realized with the cold wind whipping around him that He was drenched in Sherry's blood. She was still breathing, but barely as her body became limp in his arms. He hadn't noticed when her whimpers had stopped. Sheva nodded and motioned for a stretcher. Four men ran over and scooped Sherry out of his arms and onto the stretcher, removing Jake's shirt from her. Jake looked away, pinching his nose as he began to pace, hearing the conversation as they rushed her away. He jogged after them to the Chinook helicopter. One of the medics was a tiny woman with short brown hair and voice even lighter than Sherry. She was documenting Sherry's condition with a recorder.

"Multiple shrapnel fragments throughout entire left side of body, mostly concentrated around abdomen. Third degree burns from torso to face. Victim is alive but in shock. I need a thermal blanket, stat." They tried to shut the doors on Jake who forced them open. He wasn't about to let anyone else make Sherry a guinea pig, even after the bullshit she said to him.  
"I'm coming with."  
"Negative sir, she requires a sterile environment." Jake grabbed the soldier by the balls.  
"Okay, arranging your sterility right now." He peered over at Sherry, her face now covered in bandages and an oxygen mask, a thermal blanket on her chest.

They opened a flap in the blanket where they were removing the shrapnel. Jake was handcuffed before he could bring his attention back to the man he had abused. A gun was pointed to his head. Sheva ran up from behind.  
"If you medics know what's good for you, you'll leave this man be." She shoved Jake forward as he released the man whose nuts he was still twisting. Sheva dragged him to the front of the chopper to a seat and bucked him in, then threw the medical unit's privacy curtain closed. "Please don't make me regret this."  
Jake pursed his lips in anger, staring down at his cuffs. Sheva smiled softly with a look of empathy. "You're welcome, Mr. Muller. I won't allow him to press charges if you behave for the remainder of the ride." Jake sighed, letting his head lean back against the chopper as he stared out the window, shifting in his seat for comfort. He heard the female medic again.

"I've worked on Agent Birkin during her last incident. Her recovery this time is remarkable, even faster than the reports in Umbrella's files." Jake's face flushed with anger.  
"Who the fuck is she?" Sheva gave him a look.  
"You do realize that you aren't supposed to be here? Everything to do with Sherry is classified, even her medics."  
"Fine. I'll ask about what does concern me. Ashley?"  
"She is to be handed over to the DSO with her data stick at the rendezvous. They have agreed to give the BSAA a copy since it is an international concern. Jake looked puzzled.  
"Jake?" He instinctively tried to rise to his feet at the sound of Sherry's voice, the seatbelt and cuffs holding him against his will. He gave Sheva a dirty look.  
"Jake!"  
"Pin her down!" The medic cried out. "Captain Alomar, requesting permission for medically induced coma to prevent further injury to patient!" Sherry cried out a blood curdling scream. Jake kicked and thrashed in his seat, unable to do anything.  
"Let her go!"  
"Permission granted."

"Fuckin' bitch. When I get out of here I'll." Sheva cut Jake off.  
"You will do nothing." She stared Jake down with intrigue. They had been partners on a prior mission but she rarely saw this side of him and never so passionately. "Birkin is under my care until she is transferred over to the DSO. She is of no legal concern to you."  
"She is of every concern to me." Jake cried out in rage as he stood up, taking the chopper seat with him. He pulled on the restrains until the cuffs snapped, then quickly unbuckled his belt. Sheva pointed her gun at his head. He laughed at her. "Go ahead, depressurize this thing. You aren't stopping me."  
He threw back the curtain and pushed past the medics, taking Sherry's hand in his.  
"Jake, please. Don't... Don't let them touch me!" Sherry begged, "Please!" The female medic put her hand on his shoulder and he slapped her away.  
"I'm Dr. Rebecca Chambers, Raccoon City S.T.A.R.S. Team survivor. I know all about her virus and I need to remove the shrapnel if she's going to survive." She shook her head, "Unlike you, Wesker, she is susceptible to bacteria." Jake's eyes went wide.  
"How the fuck did you...?" She cut him short.

"Your father betrayed us, Jake. If you want Sherry to survive, I'm her only chance." She placed her hand on his shoulder again, "Please, I'll let you stay but you have to stay out of my way." She pushed past Jake and grabbed Sherry's arm, restraining it to the table. She skillfully placed an I.V. into Sherry's burned arm against her will. Sherry cried out in pain. She picked up a small bag and put it into the I.V. feed. "Just anti-biotics." Next she took an injection and put it the needle into he empty I.V. line. "This is a sedative."  
"Wait!" Jake grabbed her by the arm. "Sherry." He turned his face from her, staring out the window. "What you said earlier, is it true?" Sherry refused to answer. This could be their last moment together ever and yet she didn't seem to care. He stared at her, able to feel her eyes on him from beneath her bandages. The silence stretched on, Dr. Chambers holding the syringe, ending with Jake finally surrendering to Sherry's now well-practiced poker-face. "Fine. Do it." Jake debated throwing on a parachute and letting himself out but he would stay for the sake of hope that sherry was lying. He wouldn't give up this time despite the odds. He also wouldn't let anyone use her as a guinea pig again. He wasn't going to let her out of his site for one second until she was delivered to Leon personally.

* * *

**Untitled**

**Sorry I haven't been updating. Got a nasty sinus cold / head cold after my kid's party. Yay for her cousin giving it to everyone. Going to draw up one paragraph called: The sick housewife's guide to recovering from man-flu (yeah I have man-flu. I hate headcolds. I'm as bad as my husband with them. Bring on the flu anytime but a cold? F-U colds!) Step 1, use glass 1L measuring cup, fill with water, nuke in microwave for 5 mins. Pour out 1 cup and turn that into a nice hot chammomile lemon tea with honey. Pour in chicken noodle mix. Cover and nuke for 5 mins. Enjoy tea and chicken noodles while writing fanfiction until toddler starts jumping on bed and screaming in your ear when she gets up 10 minutes into her 2 hr nap. Repeat all steps after you get toddler back to bed, soup is cold and tea tastes like ass.**

Once Jake felt comfortable that they weren't going to try any funny business on Sherry, he took a seat on the helicopter's remaining bench with Sheva. Sheva answered her phone, walking away with Jake pacing after her. She paused, allowing him to listen in.  
"Yes. He is here. Yes, it was the only way we could board Birkin." She shot Jake a steely glaze with a hint of concern and gave him a handsignal. He knew what it ment. This was a trap. "Copy that. Roger. Executing takedown now." Sheva looked over at the cabinet that contained emergency equipment. She made sure the pilots were not looking as she tossed one at Jake. She walked up to him, cellphone in hand as she drew her weapon. With that, Jake pulled on the parachute then took his knife and grabbed Sheva with his bad arm, making a scene.  
"Hey Asshole #2. Yeah, you." He pointed with his head at the co-pilot as he let blood trickle from Sheva's neck. They had done one mission previously before and trusted each other completely, the only reason she'd let Jake get away. "Get the fuckin' door." Sheva nodded.  
"Do it!" The co-pilot agreed. Dr. Chambers pulled the curtain back, taking in the scene. She gasped as she quipped in her mousey voice.  
"What the hell...?"

Jake smiled, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Hey Chambers, go easy on my gal will ya? No funny business." He cocked his head with a smirk, "Wouldn't wanna find you in your sleep." Then he whispered in Sheva's ear, passing what he was whispering off as something dirty before he licked her neck. "You promise me Sherry will be given to the DSO?" Sheva gave a sharp nod, pretending to be disgusted by his touch. Jake smirked and coped a feel of her ass, earning a sharp whimper. He knew better after the time they shared alone in Egypt. "Sure you don't want some of this before I go? I love chocolate for desert." He called out playfully then looked at the invisable watch on his wrist. "Shit, outta time." With that, he pushed her forward, throwing his knife into his pocket as he pulled his gun out. "I'd say thanks for a nice ride, jarheads, but it's my stop." He pushed the already unlocked door open, leaping backwards, both hands on his weapon with a wink. "Thanks, Coco Puffs."

Sheva ran forward and secured the door with the co-pilot. Chinooks were made for troops to jump out of it. It was no big deal. Champers was good an angry though. "Sheva? What's going on?"  
"I received orders to secure Muller. Unfortunately he's a good listening." She shook her head, "His reflexes got the best of me." Chambers looked like she believed the bluff. Sheva took her seat, picking up her phone to report in. "I failed. He was too quick. Yes, my report will be in tomorrow." A pause. "No can do, I can't take him on my own. We have a patient in critical condition on board." She shook her head, "No, he was too quick to trace." She gave them proper co-ordinates, not wanting to draw attention to her actions. At least Jake now had a chance.

Jake pulled his zipcord when he was sure he was low enough to not be shot at. Sheva had given him a chance to escape. No doubt someone wanted him to be a guineapig or they would have just asked for his blood. She wouldn't have signaled to him that he had to go. He felt like a dick for leaving Sherry behind, especially in that state, but it wasn't something he could change. The DSO knew she was traveling with BSAA, that should guarantee her safety. He didn't quite like Chambers though. With all her petite cuteness, she was a little too into Sherry's virus for his liking, even if she was a survivor of the same hell hole Leon and Sherry had survived.  
Jake knew one thing and one thing only. The further they stayed from each other, the safer they were. No contact, no relationship. They both knew this. Still, her lack of a response to what she had said before, about them being nothing, it hurt worse than the broken ribs he suffered saving her from her fall.

The parachute launched at an alarming rate, shooting pain through Jake's already screaming ribs. He cursed into the sky. He now didn't know where he was and had no phone on him to figure that out. He had no idea where the rendezvous was for Sherry. All he knew was they would take care of her and maybe one day, when all this shit was over and they knew they buried their father's legacies for good, maybe, just maybe, she'd answer him.

Sherry awoke in the DSO's building. She saw the calendar on the wall. She must have been unconscious for a week. A figure came into view above her. "That was a fast recover." She smiled softly, "Looks like you had a reason to live this time." She took a blood sample from her I.V. and ran it under a scope, ignoring Sherry's quizzical looks as she analyzed it. "Amazing. Your recovery speed has increased ten-fold since the vaccine I made last time." She smiled at Sherry, "Looks like your weakness to fire is no longer a problem.  
Sherry moved around slowly. "My arms are numb." She mumbled, her lips felt dry, she coughed slightly, annoyed with the sound of her voice cracking. "My left side, too." Chambers came over.

"Don't worry too much about that. You had suffered 3rd degree burns. I'm surprised you recovered at all." She smiled softly, "Your nerves are growing back. It will sting, itch, burn and then it will heal. You're expected to get all feeling back soon." Sherry tried to sit up and Rebecca pushed her back onto the medical bed. "Don't move. I still expect another few days for you to recover." Dr. Chambers gave her a shot into her I.V. Sherry winced as her arm began to burn.  
"What's that?" She stared down at the I.V. in her arm, not at all happy with her current situation.  
"It's just the vaccine, to make sure your virus stays under control. The G-Virus is known to mutate under great stress." She spoke as if she was an angel reading from a medical textbook. She blinked her eyes at her. They felt heavy and tired. She felt the bandages still wrapped on her face.  
"And you are?"

"Dr. Rebecca Chambers of the BSAA. I'm the one that made the vaccine for you when Chris' team picked you up in Italy. They appointed me as a favor to Leon." She checked Sherry over, examining all the bandages she had from head to toe. Sherry now realized she was only covered in a light sheet. Her face flushed with embarrassment. "Don't worry, I'm the only one that's been here." Sherry realized she was in a private setting this time. "I mean, Leon checks in from time to time. He doesn't want any experiments done on you." She checked the bandages on Sherry's face, making Sherry nervous. "From what my briefings on your virus history have told me, I can't blame him." She looked at the fresh, flawless skin of Sherry's cheeks as she began to cut the bandages off. "You are extraordinary." Sherry rolled her eyes as Rebecca eyed her like a science project.  
"Yeah, I get that a lot."

Rebecca smiled warmly, continuing to cut and check bandages. "Well, your skin is a nice color today, back to normal. I've worked on you before you know." Sherry's eyes lit with anger and confusion. Rebecca noticed, trying not to pay any mind do it. "Just when you came back from Italy. Like I said, I made the cure from Muller's blood." Sherry relaxed a little. "I mixed it with your DNA, the original G-Virus and his anti-bodies. It was quite a bit of work," Chambers shrugged, "...but nothing I can't handle." She began to massage a cream into Sherry's skin, undressing most of the bandages. "If you ask me, you're free to go today. You will just have to report into your superior if your sense of touch doesn't return to normal. I was informed the DSO has a very good rehabilitation program."  
Sherry tried to soften her face into a friendly smile but she knew her eyes gave off a look of fear and disgust. She hated when anyone touched her, anyone but Jake. "Thanks, Dr. Chambers." After a while, she gestured for Sherry to roll over and she began to massage her back with the lotion as well. "Wow, I didn't know doctors gave these services." Sherry tried to hide the sarcasm in her voice.  
"Yeah. I need to make sure your skin is all normal and check your sensitivities." She smiled softly, "Just try to pretend it's enjoyable, would ya?" They both chuckled awkwardly. "Once you are free to go, your mission co-ordinator and your superior, Leon, need to speak to you with the BSAA." Sherry rolled her eyes.  
"Nothing like a week long coma and a relaxing message before handing in paperwork." Rebecca shook her head lightly, trying not to give anything away.  
"Yeah, nothing like it."

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**Untitled **

"I don't know where he is!" Sherry slammed her palm on the table, her voice treblming with a hint of anger she tried to hide. "I don't even know if he's alive!" She was in a small briefing room with Leon, Hunnigan and some NATO Official from the UN. It had been three days since she last saw Dr. Chambers, two since she gave her her report, dictated but not read. Claire had done her the favor of writing the report on the one day they had seen each other between Sherry's missions and Claire's Bio-Terror cleanups with her own volunteer oganization.

The woman before her stared her down, her green eyes trying to pierce through Sherry's defiance. Her red hair was pulled back into a tight military style bun, a green barret on her head. She wore a green business suit with a skirt to her knee. Her red rimmed glasses pressed to her straight, pointed nose. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, Birkin but we will find evidence otherwise." She pulled out pictures from an envelope and slapped them onto the table. Sherry blushed and looked away, the fight draining from her.

It was of Jake and Sherry at the villa, his arms around her, his hand stroking her belly. Another shot of her arms around his, locked in a passionate kiss. The next was her legs wrapped around his waist as he took her into the villa. The bitch raised her eyebrow at Leon and Hunnigan, Sherry's gaze staring at the door. "Shall I show more?" She began to pull another from the file. "My my, does somebody slack off at work."  
"Hey!" Leon snapped back. He was angry as her superior, her new mentor and as her father figure. "Whatever my agents do or are assigned to do on a mission, are none of your concern. Birking gets her job done."  
"Is seducing a target a part of that?" She smiled evily, tucking the pictures away. Hunnigan spoke up this time.  
"That's all classified, as those images should now be."  
"Oh, really?" She smiled again, "Then I guess she should have been a little more discrete."

Sherry could feel her face flush with emotion, anger winning over her embarrassment but yet she said nothing in her defence. She took a deep breath as the silence in the room became awkward. "We ended things a long time ago. I needed him out of the way so I tried to convince him to leave. He didn't." She faced the bitch that was grilling her, now refusing to pull her gaze away as she stood her ground.  
"But your report, Ms. Birkin..." Sherry cut her off.  
"That was not necessary to report! Not every detail!" Sherry snatched the report and pointed to that area, "Assistant to target told not to persue said target. Did not heed warning."  
"Yes, then he went so far as to attack a BSAA Agent, resisting detainment before escaping." Sherry looked over at Leon. This was news to her. She searched her memory. She recalled Jake being there. She begged him not to leave her side. The next thing she knew she was at the DSO.

"I know nothing of it." She shook her head softly, looking at the representative. "I have been in a medically induced coma for a week, recovering from injuries." The official smiled again.  
"Yet not a visible scratch on you." Leon interjected.  
"Need I remind you that you are not in your own organization. I believe you are bypassing your juristriction."  
"And if she is harboring a terrorist by witholding information?" Sherry blinked her eyes.  
"Terrorist? Muller?" She shook her head, "Never."  
"But his blood can be used for terrorism. We've seen it with the advanced C-Virus." She smiled, "Which we know the original virus also contained your DNA..."  
"That's enough!" Leon slammed his palm down this time. "Sherry was already investigated. She is a victim in this, as was Muller. Besides that, her files are classified, as are his."

The redhead smiled, pacing the room as she tapped her fingers on her crossed arms. "As you know, in the Edonia Cival War, Muller's group was against the BSAA. He has yet to pay for those crimes." Sherry's face flushed with anger.  
"He was protected by the DSO at the time, granding him diplomatic immunity. He was declared as not being a theat to the BSAA."  
"Yes, and I quote. 'Unless someone pays me to be.' Quite cheeky, isn't he." Sherry's thoughts were racing faster than her heart. She could have pounded this woman to a pulp as this point. She found herself smiling softly, putting on her best pokerface. It seemed Jake's attitude was really starting to rub off on her.  
"Tell ya what, bring me evidance that I knew where he is." She shoved her phone onto the desk. "In fact, I give you permission to check my records." She looked up once more at the saddistic redhead. "Then if you still think I'm harboring a fugitive, I'm all yours."  
Sherry walked out, trying her best not to slam the door behind herself. She passed by her desk and picked up her blue blazer. She put it over her white blouse, straightening her grey pencil skirt that went to her knee. She traded her heels for a pair of boots under her desk and grabber her umbrella as she headed out into the rain. Leon paused in the doorway of her office.

"Just where are you going?" Sherry pause in shock, then softened her features as she tried to push past him. He put a hand on her shoulder as she tried to walk out. "Sherry." She shook her head lightly as she walked out. "Fine, let's take a walk outside then." Leon grabbed his jacket from his office and marched out behind her.

Leon found Sherry on the steps of the DSO. He brought her a rooibos tea with a little creme, knowing it was her favorite. He sighed as he set it down beside her and placed his jacket on her shoulders. It was a chilly spring day and Sherry was trembling. He could tell it wasn't from the weather. He put a blue sleeved shoulder around her with hesitation. She didn't push him away. They watched the redhead storm out of the building, not even paying them any notice.  
"Who was she anyways?" Sherry asked, staring at the tea before deciding to bring it to her lips.  
"That's NATO's Chief Defense Advisor." Leon and Sherry gave each other a look and answered at the same time.  
"Seems like Simmons." They chuckled for a moment before it got awkwardly quiet again.  
"I can't believe they had the gull to take pictures but not help us." She sipped her tea with no emotion, her eyes twinkling with a hint of tears.  
"Yeah, I know." He smiled softly. "I know you couldn't get to Ashley on time." That name made Sherry flush. Leon noticed. "I also know that Muller was injured. He refused treatment by the BSAA so we don't have that on file." He shook his head. "Unfortunately that works against us." Sherry pretended it didn't bother her one bit but he knew better.

"As for Ashley." Leon sighed, "I know that you have some resentment of being sent after her." Sherry stared at her tea, taking a long pause as Leon looked at her.  
"I read her file, it was part of the briefing. I know they sent you to save her while they had me locked up. Ironic, isn't it." She rolled her eyes, "They made you sacrifice one little girl's freedom to save anothers." Leon bumped her shoulder lightly with a smile.  
"Yeah, but you're still my little girl that can kick major ass. Ashley not so much." His smile softened, "Besides, she had a dad. I want to be here for you now that I finally have the freedom to." Sherry paused, looking blankly at her tea. She finally looked up, setting the tea down as she gave Leon a big hug.  
"You have no idea what that means to me." She gave him a little squeeze, not realizing how long she hugged him for as tears rolled from her eyes. She finally pulled away.

"The truth is Leon, Jake doesn't even know how I feel." She shook her head, looking out at the people going about their business on the streets.  
"I lied to him." She breathed it out softly, trying to accept the words coming from her own lips. "I said that all we are is a shared near-death experience, nothing more." She hugged herself, tucking her hands under her armpits. She shivered again. "We both know it will never be. The lives we live are too different." She shook her head before pausing to look Leon in the eyes. "I will never truely be free. If I was, I'd leave right now and I'd be helping him take down our father's creations." She stood up, "Instead of being here, looking like a fool, the DSO's dirty little secret." She turned to go inside and Leon grabbed her hand, giving it a soft squeeze as he sat up.

"Don't ever feel that way, Sherry. I'm proud of you. You overcame everything and you're still here, protecting your country, despite what the country did to you." He smiled wryly. He knew what the country did to her and he had no choice in it. She knew that. He was as much a prisoner as Sherry, giving away his freedom to protect her.  
"I know Leon. I know you didn't choose this life either. I know about the deal they gave you." She sighed. "I just don't know why you're still doing it."  
"Same reason as you." He gave her another hug. "To end what began in Racoon City." She nodded reassuringly. She understood that completely. He handed her back her phone. "Sherry. If Jake is as good a man as you believe he is. He knows you did it to protect him. The lives the three of us live are full of complications." She pursed her lips and nodded in agreement. They both returned to their respective offices in silence.


	16. Save the world tomorrow pt 1 of 3

**Book 8: Save the World Tomorrow**

**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

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**"And it will take this life of regret, for my heart to learn to forget. Tomorrow will be as it always has been and I will fall to her again. For I know I have come too close. Cause if right is leaving I'd rather be wrong cause she is the sunlight and the sun is gone." She is the Sunlight, Trading Yesterday**

**Quick shout out to EpicBrows for her videos on YouTube. Her videos inspire me. :)**

Sherry sat around in her vehicle, driving from Russia to Finland. Her wipers repeatedly swept the snow as it beat down on her vehicle. She sighed deeply as she waited impatiently in traffic at the border crossing. She looked through her phone, reviewing the file that brought her here after an argument with Leon. Sherry was never one to argue with superiors but since she had come under fire from the BSAA and the UN, particularly NATO, accused her of helping Jake to sell their blood to terrorists, she felt leaving the office was a waste her personal resources in building evidence to support her innocence.

She was here to track a form of bath salts, a street drug that used to considered innocent by many. After a few reports of zombies that turned out to be humans that were using the insanity inducing drug, this should have just been a DEA job. Some new brand was being shipped to the US with origins in Russia. A brand that was now eating the flesh of it's users on top of the random "zombie" attacks. Bio-terrorism take-downs was the norm in her job description, street drugs? Not so much. Leon and Hunnigan thought that if they kept Sherry busy, if there was a case brought against her they wouldn't have the authority to take her off of this mission.

She was taping her fingers to the songs on the radio, trying to quiet her own thoughts as she focused on the traffic instead of her file. She was still realing from the redheaded bitch that represented NATO, grilling her about her personal life, demanding to know where Jake Muller was. It was bad enough Sherry had to be informed that Jake threatened Agent Alomar of the BSAA Africa Branch before diving off the helicopter they were on. Sherry was unconscious and injured at the time, with no recollection of what had happened. All she knew was that Jake thought she wanted nothing to do with him, despite begging him not to leave her there like a helpless child. She looked around at a commotion starting at the front of the line about six cars ahead, making her forget all of her problems surrounding... "Jake?"

Jake Muller was crossing the border from Finland into Russia. At this time of year he hated having to travel over ice or water that could contain icebergs. He decided not to cut home to Ednia from Estonia, instead he took the long way around by foot. He tugged down on his hat and buttoned his jacket against the cold whipping at his face. He pulled his dark blue scarf around the collar of his jacket, hiding his scar as he went through security to cross. Normally he blended in and people wouldn't ask to see ID but with the behavior of people and bath salts being shipped around the country, it seemed they were now stopping people on foot. He decided to press on and try entry. Jake's criminal record had been cleared after his services to the UN, donating his blood for the cure to the C-Virus. His files were now classified by the BSAA. It made him chuckle. Jake Muller, super spy.

He got hustled by the flashlight cop at the desk. "Passport or drivers license, sir."  
"Yeah and if I forgot it?" Jake glared at the chunky man, trying to intimidate him with his tall frame. The man just shook his head. Jake presented his passport, slapping it on to the counter, then sliding it in to the hole in the glass. The man scanned it in to his computer, his eyes going wide. Jake taped his fingers on the counter, looking around at the cars going through. "Some tight security you guys have here." He smiled softly, "Tennis tournament in the snow?" His gaze shifted around as he heard boots approaching. He slipped his hand through the glass and snatched his passport away. He cocked his head at the bastard behind the counter, giving him the finger. "Thank you and go fuck yourself." He walked off nonchalantly, whistling as he hoped the fence. They had no jurisdiction once he was in Russia.

Guns clicked at him from the Russian side, about twelve men in uniform stood before him. A smirk spread across Jake's face as he adjusted his scarf. He cracked his neck as he rolled his shoulders. "Quite the welcoming party for lil ol' me." He winked at the lady officer that was there. "What did I do ma'am? Please tell me you're the one to strip search me?" A man with a heavy voice and accent spoke up.  
"Mr. Muller, you are under arrest for drug trafficking, bio-terrorism and conspiring with or contributing to bio-terrorism." Jake blinked for a moment, pursing his lips as he cocked his head.  
"What the hell...?" He threw his hands in front of his chest in a gesture. "Well that's new." He shook his head, "Never been in for one of those before." The man shot in front of his feet.  
"You have one warning." The man commanded. Jake shifted his weight on his feet, scoffing with a chuckle. The man pointed his gun to Jake's head, the other 11 still aiming at him. "On the ground, now." Jake cracked his knuckles as he made a fist with both hands.  
"If you insist."

He dropped into a martial arts pose as he was about to attack the man. He barely saw the blonde bob come into his view as someone grabbed his shoulder, spinning him to the side, dodging the bullet from the man's gun. She kicked him behind his knee, pushing him to the ground by his shoulder. Her badge flipped out in front of his face. "Sherry Birkin, National Security, Government of the United States." The lead officer put his hand up to gesture a ceasefire. He walked up to Sherry, dwarfing her frame. He took her badge from in the air. Sherry took out handcuffs and snapped them on to Jake's wrists. Jake furrowed his brows, whispering as he looked between the officers and Sherry, "What the fuck are you...?" He began to rise to his feet and she kicked him hard behind his other knee.  
"Do not resist arrest." She glared down at him with a look that read, "Saving your stupid ass."

"Do you have a warrant, Agent Birkin?" He handed her the badge back.  
"Negative. He is wanted for questioning on a particular drug that's been passing through these borders." The man stared at her, raising his eyebrow without changing his tone.  
"And the matter of him being a terrorist?" He shook his head, "You have no jurisdiction here, young lady." he went to grab Jake by the shoulder but Sherry stepped in between them.  
"He is under the protection of the United States." She pulled out an old order from her pocket, from when they were in Edonia, hoping her bluff wouldn't be called. She starred the man down as he read the order. She pointed to her vehicle. "I also have diplomatic immunity here. As a prisoner under my charge..." The man shoved it back at her, cutting her off.

"No date of when this order ends?" He shook his head. "Okay, okay. Tell you what, we take you to the embassy, get this all straightened out, okay? I call you a limo. You get an official escort." She nodded in agreement. Jake glared at her the entire time, his blue eyes looking black in the moonlight as his rage boiled. He was nearly drawing his own blood from his lips as he bit down, trying to be quiet. Sherry smiled at him warmly as she pulled him to his feet, then shoved him along as they followed the man to the security office. "You have a right to remain silent, Mr. Muller." Jake shook his head and sighed through his teeth as he scoffed.  
"Not the way I imagined you with cuffs, super girl."  
"Well, looks like I saved your ass again." Sherry winked, followed by an audible sigh. She remembered she was doing this with no authority and it could have severe consequences. So long as she could get him onto "American soil" at the embassy, she'd have her way and Jake would be safe. She quoted him, cocking her head and mimicking his smirk. "Looks like I better save myself first."

Sorry it took so long for me to name the last book. Afraid to go edit my book tags but will as soon as I'm over this cold. I really do appreciate all the feedback in PMs and Reviews. Please tell me if there is anything you'd like to see or if you see anything leading a certain way or if I missed anything or made a loophole etc. :) People saying they want to see me "tie it all in." I think everyone is waiting for a happy ending that never seems to come but isn't that the thrill of their situation. :) I titled this anthology, at the end of a long escape but does that include Ustanak or escaping the cards life dealt them :)

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**Untitled**

**Goddamn laptop keeps going into hibernation and making me re-write this. Gah! Damn 50 document limit...**

Sherry and Jake sat as far apart as they could in the back of the limo. The doors were locked as they got their presidential style escort. Sherry closed the privacy blind and uncuffed Jake. Jake began to rub his wrists, having nothing to say to her as he gave her the cold shoulder. Sherry slipped the cuffs into her pocket and took out her crystal phone, dialing Hunnigan up. She never used the face-to-face option. She liked to keep conversations secret. Jake put his feet up on the glass, his hands above his head as he stretched out across the seat, his head in her lap to listen. He smirked as he caught her blush, purposely making her nervous as she began to speak to her superiors. "Still got it." He gave her a wink, then looked through the sunroof at the falling snow in under the moonlight.

"Hunnigan? Yes, it's Birkin." She paused, "Yes, I ran into," she looked down at Jake, pausing again as she emphasized the words, "a problem." She gave Jake a dirty look as he began to stroke her face, his finger sliding down her jaw to her neck. She slapped his hand away and stared out the window, her face flushed with anger. "Yes, it's Muller. Yes, he's here. The Russian Authorities need an updated protection order or warrant for questioning." She shook her head lightly as she sighed, "The one from Edonia has no end date so they won't accept it." She waited on the line to be transferred to Leon. Jake noticed the look in her eyes, the same look as when they were going to walk into the ambush from Simmons in China. He raised his eyebrow with intrigue.

"Didn't know you care, super girl." She closed her eyes, doing her best to block him out.  
"Leon," Sherry tried to greet her superiod but he cut her off, confirming that he received her request, demanding an explanation. "Leon, they were going to kill him. You know as well as I do that he is safer in our hands. What if there's a nut like Simmons in one of the organizations? It's already happened to us." She waited for a response, her lips trembling with anticipation. Leon told her that President Bedford was dead and he didn't have any pull with Graham, besides both agents rescuing his daughter. "Please, remind Graham that it was Jake who saved his daughter from the Spanish Embassy, not just me. If Jake hadn't have been there, no one would have made it to her." Another long pause. Sherry cupped her hand over her heart, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much! Take care, Leon."

"So, super girl," She cut him off as she covered Jake's mouth with her hand. He bit her playfully.  
"Jake, please, shut your mouth. You are not an American and you will be under my protection at the US Embassy. The charges against you are true." He blinked at her, his face suddenly becoming serious as he sat up.  
"Wait, what?" He locked his eyes onto Sherry, his gaze becoming cold. Sherry didn't know when she began to admire that hard stare that accentuated the scar on his left cheek. The way his red hair glowed in the moonlight, the shadows defining his chisseled features. She smiled soft and warm at him.

"Yeah, Jake. It's real. They are trying to claim your blood and my genetics in a bio-terrorism ring. We're in a lot of trouble." She shook her head softly, "Worst part? My orders are to stay the hell away from you if I know what's good for us." She stared at her fingers, fidgeting with the buttons on her cream colored coat. "From a legal standpoint, any association between us..." He cut her off, scoffing as he crossed his arms over his chest with a chuckle.  
"Is that what our last fight was about?" Sherry searched her memories and tried to find the words so say how she felt. Now was not the time.  
"No. This is new. None of this can even get out." She sighed, shaking her head. "Too late for that. I bet it's on your file now that I'm the one taking your ass out of here."

She tucked her arms around herself as she crossed them, staring out the window. Jake slid a hand to the small of her back, trying to comfort her. "Sherry, why are you doing this?" She could feel his sharp gaze resting on her. She peeked over her shoulder. Not the look she expected with his angry voice. His face was soft, mournful. "I don't need your protection and I don't need your pity." Jake shook his head, pulling his hand away away from her, staring at his palm with disgust. He hadn't realized he had placed it on her.

Sherry turned to face him, her face flushed with anger. How did he not know that she was doing everything to protect him? Even lying to him that she didn't love him. Was he really so foolish? They were nearly nose to nose, their breath frosting into fog on each other's faces as they stared each other down, not noticing how they magnetically came together. She wanted to tell him so badly how she felt, why she pushed him away. She wanted all of this bullshit to end. Her body, her heart, he soul ached for him so badly for so long.

As if he prayers were answered, Jake was on top of her, his arms wrapped around her protectively as the car spun, the sound of metal twisting and crunching against concrete, the glass shattering around them. The world faded to black for a moment. The next thing she knew, Jake was covered in blood, laying on top of her. She looked around, hearing more cars honking and crashing around them. Another vehicle smashed into them. She cradled Jake's head with her hands, wrapping her legs around him to support his back. She rolled out from under him in the tight space and began kicking out the sunroof. She grabbed Jake by his collar and began to drag him to safety. Her head spun, every sound pounding in her head. "Jake?" Sherry called out to him softly, pulling him through the broken roof, barely a foot of space to crawl. She dragged her roughly, unable to worry about him being cut by the tempered glass while she assessed the situation. She was right to not scream his name as bodies began to stagger around the piling wreckage. "Jake! Wake up!" Sherry grabbed her phone from the floor and tucked it into her jacket. It was hard to move in the damn thing and it kept snagging on the metal. "Hey!" She called out again. "I need your help, here!" With a grunt, she pulled Jake by one arm, rising to her feet as she cleared the wreckage. A fire erupted a few cars down. She had no time to waste, zombies or no zombies.

She threw Jake onto her back and began to jog, dragging his legs behind her as she stumbled to the nearest building. Her eyes went wide in St. Petersberg Square. It looked just like Raccoon City all over again. She had told Leon before that she was too young to have known what was going on then. It was a lie. She was twelve and she was an independent kid. Even though she was locked in fear and terrified if Claire went more than three feet ahead of her, she knew enough. Memories came flooding through her but she couldn't let it hold her back, not when Jake depended on her. She drew her gun but tried not to use it, letting the roar of the fire and cars distract the dead. She kicked in a few heads on the way, kicking others off as she dragged Jake along. She gently lowered him to the floor in front of a cafe and began to bang on the locked door. "Please, let us in!" She started to yell "police" in Russian. A little old lady came to the door, shaking her head. Sherry held out her badge and the lady ushered them in. She helped carry Jake into the place as Sherry kicked the few zombies that managed the stairs away from the doors before closing them.

Sherry helped the woman board up the windows with chairs then they dragged Jake to the upstairs apartment. Sherry couldn't stop thanking the lady in Russian, whispering as they tried to be quiet. Jake was heavy for both of them. They barely made it up the stairs. The little lady went into her wardrobe and dusted off a box. She opened it and dug through, removing and old communist uniform. "My husbands from the war." She whispered in broken English. She pulled out an old shotgun and went to the window. Sherry covered her ears, allowing herself to succumb to her fears for a moment as the lady turned off the lights.

Jake murmured and Sherry nearly forgot he was there, she was so lost in her thoughts. "My god, Jake." She wrapped her arms around him. She began to check his injuries. He had a nasty gash on his head but otherwise, the blood on him was Sherry's. She hadn't noticed the glass fragments all over her hair and face. She began to pluck at them in the dark wherever she felt them. The lady passed her a bottle of vodka and some bandages for Jake's wounds. She kept watch at what was happening. Jake hissed in pain.  
"Hey..." He whispered. "Who turned out the lights?" He took a look around the room, hearing the screams outside. "God, one hell of a party goin' on." He tried to stand but Sherry pushed him down.  
"Hold still!" She swabbed his forehead and found some 3M stitching tape that she closed his gash with. "Now don't go frowning for the next while." She grumbled at him, causing him to chuckle.  
"Sure, super girl." He wandered over to the window, nodding at the little Russian lady as he began to converse fluently with her. Sherry's jaw dropped open in shock as she took in the scene.  
"Like China?" Jake shifted his weight back and forth on his feet like he always did when nervous. He continued to look out the window through the blinds, not looking at Sherry.  
"Yeah." She whispered back.  
"What's the plan, super girl?" He smirked, "You dragged me to this hell hole." He shrugged with a groan as he stretched his palms to the sky, cracking his knuckles as he locked his fingers. "My plan was in and out, go back to Edonia, help rebuild." He shook his head before resting his gaze on her, waving his finger in the air, "Zombie slayin' wasn't the ideal vacation I was plannin' after the shit that went down in Spain." He pointed at her chest. "Gotta thank you for that one, too." He flicked his finger at the tip of her nose, "Quite the party animal," he poked her forehead, "aren't you, super girl."  
"Yeah?" She put her hand on her hip, putting her chin up as they stared each other down nose to nose, "Well, you're one heavy damsel in distress."

**I was going to have Jake save Sherry but fuck that! :) Sherry ain't no damsel :) Girl power!**

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**Untitled**

"So, whats the plan, super girl?"  
"Can't think of our problems right now. Gotta rescue survivors, establish a safety zone." Jake rolled his eyes at her.  
"Just remember," He shook his head, "You can't save them all, even if you had a fancy cape." Sherry nodded solemnly. Jake thanked the lady in Russian for her hospitality. She insisted they wash up before they went. She smiled at them, seeming to suggest something to Jake. He smiled back. Sherry watched the conversation as if she knew what they were saying. Jake smiled at her, about to say some corny remark but Sherry cut him off.  
"I know. We make a cute couple and should get married?"

"No." He smiled, shaking his head. "She asked when we're getting the divorce." Sherry bit her lip and furrowed one brow at his remark. Jake smiled. "Told her you can't stand my sexiness. Such a jealous girl. She's on my side." Sherry punched him lightly in the arm and called him an ass. Jake winced in pain. She took a good look at him and noticed his stance was off, not just his usually slouchy swagger but like he had a limp. Her face lost its softness as she grew concerned. "Take off your clothes." Jake raised an eyebrow, a sparkle in his eye that matched the look of trouble in his smile. "Damn girl. With a lil lady in the house?" Sherry rolled her eyes softly.  
"That was no minor car accident. It was a pileup." She helped him take off his jacket and tshirt, Jake whimpered lightly. Now she could see he was controlling his breaths why he seemed so unsteady. His ribs were black and blue as was his shoulder. Sherry shook her head. "I have to reset your arm. With one gun between us, we won't make it with you in this condition." He groaned as he rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. Built like a..." She cut him off.  
"Brick shithouse and just of full too." Sherry bandaged Jake's ribs and let him get dressed. She took him to the tables downstairs and lay him down on it. "Now whatever you do, dont scream."  
"Dont worry, I'm not a lil bitch." She sighed and rolled her eyes at his response.  
"Yeah, you just act like one."

She positioned her hands on his shoulder and arm and used her weight to force his arm back into it's socket.  
"Mother fuckin' son of a bitch..." Jake grumbled through his teeth. "Not my first time but that always fuckin' hurts." The little lady waited for them by the back door, refusing to come. They thanked her once more before going on their way.  
"At least we don't have everyone on our ass like in Edonia." Jake whispered.  
"Shhh." Sherry quieted him as she answered her phone. "Yes. It was too dangerous to call, I..." She paused mid sentence, exasperated. Jake heard an annoyed person on the other line breathing down Sherry's neck. "Okay. We'll lay low." A long pause again, "But the survivors?" She furrowed her brows, looking around, exasperated. "Okay, I understand." She paused, putting her phone away. "Well goodbye to you, too."  
"Leon?" Jake raised an eyebrow.  
"No."

Sherry shook her head, her hands clasped in front of her, "The new Security Adviser." She shrugged. "Rescuing you didn't go over so well. I'm not even supposed to be here!" She shot Jake a quick glance, then balled her hands into fists and turned away, closing her eyes. "I compromised my mission, the BSAA are on their way to clean this place up..." She trailed off, looking out at the fence before them, the chaos and destruction continuing to unfold. "To make matters worse?" She couldn't help but grasp the fence with her fingers, shaking her head as the snowy roads became red with the blood of the dead. "I've been ordered to get out, not to help survivors." She closed her eyes again. "They said that's the job of the BSAA. Not my job, not my responsibility." Jake pressed himself to her gently, hesitating as he always did when he wrapped his arms around her. Jake wasn't a touchy feely type, neither was Sherry. He knew that. He also knew that it was hey both needed, what they brought out of each other in their magnetic pull. Jake's breath was warm against her neck, his scent drowned out the stench of death filling the city. The sound of his breathing drowned out the screams of the living, the moans of the dead, the gunshots and carnage. If he hadn't held her, Sherry would have continued to shake against the fence. The memories of when she was a frightened little girl in Raccoon City, unable to truly comprehend the "monsters" around her as she made her way to her parent's lab beneath the police station. She realized she was crying, her feet giving out beneath her. She collapsed into Jake's welcoming arms.

"Raccoon City?" He whispered softly in her ear. She nodded against his chest.  
"China was different." She whispered back. "J'avo are different. They kill, they don't eat the living." She shook her head, trying to bring herself to her senses. "We have to go." He let her go as she rose to her feet.  
"Where to?" She stared at him blankly. "I don't even know." Jake pursed his lips for a moment, then nodded.  
"Okay. I know a few places here. We can check out that bath salts mission of yours on the way and hopefully avoid the BSAA." She blinked at him again. Jake always read her like an open book.  
"Okay." She nodded. Jake picked up a crowbar from the back alley, a naughty smile crossing his lips, that bad twinkle in his eye. "Looks like this will do for now."

Sherry raised an eyebrow. She checked the GPS on her phone. "I don't even know where we're going. Maybe I should check in with..." Jake closed her phone and shoved it towards her lightly with one hand, looking around to get his bearings.  
"Don't. If I'm supposed to be some sort of bio-terrorist, let's just drop off the radar."  
"They can still track me though." She held her phone to her chest before slipping it into her jacket.  
"Yeah, about that? Once we get this shit over with, we gotta talk. Let them track you for now." He pointed toward her with a stern look, "In the mean time, I lead." He walked off, "I bet that GPS doesn't tell you about zombie traffic."  
"Which is why I need to call Hunnigan."  
"No, you don't..." He shook his head, pulling back a gate. "Been here before and I know where to find info." He smiled, "I recall you looking hot in a cocktail dress." Sherry paused in her tracks.  
"Excuse me?"  
"Well, we're covered in blood." Jake shrugged as he paused to face her. He shook his head. "Not exactly appropriate for where we're headed."  
"Where are we headed?" Sherry raised her eyebrows as she stared him down.  
"Listen, you want my help?" He pointed a finger at her before snapping his head back around to march off. "Play nice."  
"Who said I needed your..." He cut her off as he paused again.  
"Okay. So, then I'm gone." He stretched with a yawn, "Thanks for the trip in. I'll make my stop to Moscow, clear my name then I'm gonna find me a stash, some cash and some ass." Jake sauntered away, whistling a tune like the world wasn't going to shit around them.  
"Well, go right ahead, suspender bender!" Jake paused in silence for a moment at Sherry's joke.  
"You know what, that's pretty funny. Ima call you 'queen style corn' from now on."  
"Will you just shut up?" She whispered, pointing with her gun. "There's more zombies out here than there are people to kill them." Jake chuckled loudly, shaking his head.  
"Beats J'avo. Makes me laugh that zombie girl hates her kind."  
"Seriously, Jake?" She shook her head, "Definitely not with you for your maturity." Jake raised his eyebrow and pointed his finger.  
"Well, you said you aren't with me." He chuckled again, turning away from her. He was hiding how he really felt underneath his poker face. Sherry's face flushed as she turned away. She was startled by a zombie at the opposite side of the fence. Jake took the end of his crowbar and stabbed it in the eye through the fence. "So, we gonna kill shit together or not? Cus I don't think you got enough ammo and I sure as hell don't got enough patience to shoot the shit all night out here." He sighed, "Not my kinda party anyways."  
"Okay fine."  
"Fine."  
"Jake Muller has a plan." Sherry shrugged with a chuckle. "I win a bluff with the Russian Government and a zombie outbreak occurs."  
"Shut up. Two out of three ain't bad!" He smiled back. "Besides, you know you missed me, super corn." She frowned and said nothing, turning away from him again. "Yeah, I know that's a yes."  
"Jake, seriously. You need to shut up. That mouth of yours is gonna get us killed."  
"Yeah, whatever, babe."

They snuck around back alleys, killing the undead as silently as possible until they came to the back of a clothing shop. Jake took out a lockpick set from his pocket. He began to whistle as he got to work on the locks, Sherry keeping watch with her gun as they stood back to back. "Seriously Jake, keep it down." He smiled as he labored with the lock.  
"Super girl, you sound like we're committing a crime. Everyone here is probably dead, we need some clothes, a car, maybe someone has keys inside." Sherry shook her head, an exasperated look on her face.  
"You are seriously so dense. Does nothing bother you?"  
"Sherry, I grew up on a battlefield. My home country has always been a battlefield. After the shit we went through in China? Nothing phases me." He jiggled the handle. "Still not quite there..." He cocked his head with an inquisitive look then got to work on the second lock. "Besides, you're so cute when you're anxious." He shot her a quick glance. "I love how your cheeks flush when you're angry. You're one mean lil pixie." The lock finally gave. "We're in, Tinkerbell."

Jake traded his tshirt for a black dress shirt, unbuttoned casually from the top down to his pecks as usual. He had a nice new pair of suspenders from the tie belt rack, along with a new leather belt. "Man, I'm like a kid in a candy store." He smiled, eyeing a leather jacket that he happily tried on. Sherry shrugged.  
"You said it." She looked around for any zombies. "Looks like everyone cleared out." She checked the front door. "Door's unlocked."  
"Well, that means we don't get a car." He sighed, "At least we get to look good." He dropped his pants and put on a nice pair of tight, black jeans that he wore low on his hips. "They never have my damn length, even in Russia." Sherry couldn't help but look him over. Jake always looked damn good. She blushed and turned away, continuing to check the place out.

Jake browsed the ladies section casually, then threw Sherry a dress. She eyed him like he was crazy. "What are you doing?" Jake put his hand on his chin, eyeing for accessories.  
"You seriously thought I was joking? You need info to clear us and I don't mind taking an opportunity to let my inner Metrosexual roam." Sherry burst out in a laugh. She couldn't even come up with a comeback. "Ahh, here." He threw her a fur coat and hat.  
"I don't wear fur!" She scolded him. "Fur is cruel!"  
"Hey." He shrugged, "You didn't kill it, you didn't buy it and Russian gals love fur." He began to browse the shoes while Sherry eyed the dress.  
"It's a little short, isn't it?" It had a long train at the back that fell to the floor but the front was cut above mid-thigh. She held it up to her frame, entertaining Jake for now. It had a halter front completely made of lace. The bottom below the bust was made from a shiny satiny material.  
"So are you, super girl." He smiled. "Shoe size?" He threw her a strapless bra. She read the number and was shocked that he knew her size. She blushed harder, covering her chest.  
"Jake!" She balled her hands into fists and dropped everything to the floor.  
"Okay so, how about these? To keep you warm?" He threw her black leather thigh-high lace boots with zips up the inside seams. He followed it up with pantyhose and a garter belt.  
"Seriously, Jake? We're in another zombie apocalypse and you are turning me into Barbie?"  
"No." He shook his head. "We, or should I say you, cus I'm being myself, need to go undercover in a swanky upscale nightclub in order to find out where the drugs are coming from, Ms. Wannabe DA. So you better look the part." He smiled at her flushed face, pointing his finger at the boots on the floor." Those will keep you warm and they aren't stelletos. The heels are practical." He shrugged casually, "That and you look hot in bitch-kickers."

Sherry ducked behind a display to get dressed. Jake scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Nothing I haven't seen before." He took a peek at her as he slowly walked around the display, throwing her a bag that matched the white fur on her jacket. "Take off the thermal suit, babe. Put that and all your gear in the bag." He looked away as he leaned up against the wall, flicking his lighter. Sherry came out from around the display and placed her bag on the counter. She folded and rolled her thermal suit with a look of humiliation on her face, complying with Jake's wishes as she cursed herself under her breath. "Sher." He looked at her with without an expression. He sauntered up to her and took her gun and holster. He locked his eyes with hers and hesitated for a moment. He slid his hands up either side of her right thigh, then buckled the strap tightly under her dress so the gun hid between her thighs. He kissed her cheek softly. "Thank you." He smiled softly at her, sincerity on his face. "I promise, you won't regret this." Sherry shrugged.  
"Okay, Jake. I'll play along for now. I just hope you know what you're doing." She looked at herself in the mirror as she put on the hat and cropped fur coat which barely came to her waist, exposing her ass for the world to see through her clingy dress. She blushed hard. Sherry never liked to feel exposed. "This isn't exactly zombie apocalypse wear."

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**Untitled**

Sherry peeped through the front door while Jake checked out the cash register. Sherry whispered harshly as called out to Jake. "What are you up to over there?" Jake slid his fingers under the counter near the register, tapping his other hand on the counter. He stroked his chin, tilting his head thoughtfully.  
"If I were a gun in a private couture shop where would I be." He looked at the mannequins up on a ledge across the room. "Bingo." He sauntered over and leaped up, hooking his feet on a clothing rack below. It gave way and he slipped with a thunderous crash."Fucking shoulder."

Sherry tapped her fingers on her thigh with a sigh as he began to nag, calling her name like a child as he got up with a grunt. "Sherry... Pweety pweeze help me get that gun?" He slapped his thigh and gestured for her to climb up. She shook her head and then hopped up. "Don't let my brand new boots get scuffed on your new euro-trash wardrobe." He had been distracted as his nose "innocently" found its way between her breast. He cleared his throat and turned away before she gave him a dirty look. Sherry reached up and took the 909 Glock from the mannequins hand.

The hand popped off and the two of them found themselves sprawled together on the floor. Sherry's eyes went wide as she stared into Jake's eyes, the tension as awkward as the first night they met in the cabin, except this time it was Sherry who was on top. She flinched as her cheeks went red, then pushed off of his chest. Jake seemed to flinch too, but that was a cover for his hesitation. He would have kissed her then and there but he resisted, holding back from wrapping his arms around her. His soft eyes faded into his serious, stoic self as she reached her arm out to help him up. She held onto his forearm and hand for a moment too long after Jake was firmly on his feet, then turned away from his sharp gaze, releasing him to pull her bangs behind her ear. She sighed softly to herself as she gained her composure, Jake hesitantly calling her name as softly as a summer breeze. "Sherry." She pursed her lips as her hands hesitated on the back door's handle.  
"Ready?" She let her gaze rest on his for a mere moment as he nodded.  
"Yeah. I'm always ready."

Jake eyed a vehicle while Sherry stood watch. He was avoiding having to break the glass to get in. Besides the noise of glass shattering, they didn't need a car alarm going off. Luckily it was a lower end Russian vehicle. It would be extremely uncomfortable for him to sit in the 1990's model Lada with his height but at least he didn't have to worry about the wheel locking up nor running out of gas. He got to work with his lock set once more, then a thought came to his head. He looked around underneath the vehicle's back and front ends and the wheels, then removed the hubcaps with his hands. Sherry shushed him for making noise as the dead began to stir around the corner. Jake slid underneath the white car like a mechanic. "Ahh..." He pulled out the key and unlocked Sherry's passenger door. "Welcome to the Lada Shitbox, milady." He made a gesture with his hand, then grabbed hers and kissed it. He closed her door gently then went around and forced his tall frame in as he pulled the seat back all the way, his head against the roof. "No more accidents." He growled as he ripped the sun visor off of his side, Sherry chuckling lightly at Jake's dilemma. "Even in Russia I wish I had a bike." He shook his head with a smile. "Sorry it's not a limo." Sherry cocked her head at him. "Not the first promise you broke."

He used the dashboard mounted gears in the vehicle as he released the clutch. "Shaped like a box and the gears are shit." He turned on the vehicle with his foot on the clutch again, then released the vehicle into drive. "Moscow here we come." He began to sing the annoying disco tune followed by the equally annoying Rasputin song. Sherry bit her lip and stared out the window, with her arms crosses, trying her best to block him out. It seemed the virus was spreading slower than the C-Virus. The C-Virus was still being researched for transmission between hosts but was known to be transmitted through first and secondary infections with different results. This latest infection seemed to only produce zombies.

Jake let the valet park the car, throwing him a tip from the wallet he found in the glove box. Sherry snuggled her hands in the white muff she picked up in the store match her hat, noticing the girls trying to get into the club that were wearing a lot less. A couple blew smoke in her face, obviously envious of her holding onto the arm of her 6'3 redheaded, euro-trash escort. Sherry held her chin up with a cock of her head and a movie star grin. Jake pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it off one of the girls cigarettes just to piss Sherry off. Sherry commented about smoking being a nasty habit to which Jake smirked at with a scoff and a chuckle. They marched past the lineup to the bouncer. "I have an appointment with Dimitri." Jake stared the bouncer down over his shades.  
"Your name?" The burly man was easily Jakes height and three times his build. Jake answered him fluently in Russian.  
"Muller, Yakov." Jake sized him up while Sherry clung to his arm gently.  
"No Yakov on the list." The man rolled his eyes and let some women in. "She can come in through." He pulled Sherry from Jake. Jake responded by putting his cigarette down on the man's clipboard, letting it burn through.  
"Well there I am... Want it written in your blood?" Jake grabbed the man by the throat. He gave the man a good stare down. "Listen, Pavel. You know damn right who I am." Jake smirked with a chuckle, pulling his hand back. He cocked his head as he switched to English. "List, meet fist." Sherry grabbed Jake's arm and slid between him and the man, her other hand resting on Jake's chest. Jake glanced down at her for a moment, pursing his lips. He looked back up at his victim, sliding his hands to the man's jaw, twisting his face as he stared him down.  
"Okay." The man submitted. "She said not to let you in."  
"Define 'she'?" Jake squeezed harder. The man gasped for air, wincing in pain before Jake pushed threw him back against the doors.  
"Nastasia." He coughed out. Jake smirked and cocked his head.  
"See? That wasn't hard, was it fuck-face? I'll settle that business, too. Last I checked, she loves when I come to town."

Jake strolled in like he owned the place. Many women eyed him up and down as he carried Sherry in under his arm, her arm around his waist. She hated the feeling like she was some sort of trophy. Some girls looked with envy while the others looked on with disgust. She tried to hide how out of place she felt, Jake didn't seem to care. "C'mon Sherry, you're a suit. I'm sure you can pull off the beauty queen act." Sherry pinched him and sighed. He sat her down at the bar. "Now," Jake whispered into her ear, "...don't move, don't drink anything and keep a lookout for this." He slipped her a little bag with a small amount of red powder in it. It had a little eight point red and white star-like design like sticks spun in a circle, each point made of two parallel lines, alternating red and white, a blank circle in the center. Sherry blinked, startled at the evidence Jake handed her.  
"Where did you get this?" She leaned against his ear and whispered over the music. Jake's face lit up with a smile as he tucked it in her bra, between her breasts.  
"Been more than just a merc in my lifetime. Pick-pocketed the bouncer before I threw him." He pointed his finger at her. "That stays there. Sit, stay, good Sherry."

Jake disappeared into a VIP room. Not a moment went by when a pants-less "gentlemen" went out, a bouncer following suit. Sherry raised her eyebrow then shrugged it off. She read enough in his file to know what kind of connections mercs had. "My naughty little Nastasia." Jake sauntered up to the buxom blonde, wrapping his fingers over her hips as he pulled her against his crotch. He sat down on the purple leather love seat of the small room, putting a long slender thigh onto his shoulder as he pulled her onto his lap. He put his head between her bare breasts as she began to purr his name, stroking his short red hair.  
"My dear Jake. Such a long time since you came home to me." She slapped him across his scar. "You've been a bad boy." She spoke in English, her heavy slavic accent purring in his ears. She began to unbuttoned his shirt, then instead slid her hands to his belt. Jake kissed the inside of her knee.  
"Am I still the only one allowed to break no touch rules?" He spanked her thigh and followed it with a lick up her calf but she stopped him with her finger to his lips.  
"That all depends." She gestured to the door, her tone not so friendly anymore. "Who is your whore?"  
"That girl?" He scoffed and made a brushing motion with his hand, shaking his head. "Nah, she's just all a part of the fun." He licked up her neck, "You know I come here for you." Jake slid down her panties and she laughed at him.  
"You aren't from Russia, Jake." She squinted one eye as she raised her brow, "Why the fuck are you rushing?" Jake raised his eyebrows with a smirk, a twinkle of naughtiness in his eyes.  
"Well, there is one other thing." He pushed her off and onto the couch. He sat up with a stretch and a groan, then began to pace the dimly lit room. "I heard Dimitri wanted an errand boy." He stroked his chin, "I started a little 'protection' service. Just wondering if he wanted to give me a little business for his product's safety." She chuckled at him again.  
"Always with the money, Jake."  
"Damn straight, baby." He kissed her neck, licking up to her ear as his breath tickled her skin.  
"Now, how about you put in a good word for your favorite squeeze toy?"  
"One condition." She whispered into Jake's ear." Jake stared into her green eyes, wondering what the hell it could be. She chuckled playfully again. "There's plenty of time." She unzipped his pants and reached in. "Maybe your 'friend' wants to play to." She winked, "She's kind of cute." Jake sighed and pulled away, pulling his zipper up uncomfortably. He wasn't exactly sharing Sherry with anyone.  
"Maybe a lil later." He pulled away, brushing her off. "I gotta get this done with that prick Dimitri first." He smirked and cocked his head as he paused in the doorway. "You know I never mix business with pleasure."

Jake helped himself behind the bar to the 'office' around back, no one daring to start him. He began to bang on the door. He knocked again. "Okay," he cocked his head, "One last try." He knocked with his foot, a smirk on his face as the door popped open. "Oh, there's the secret knock." He sauntered into the room, cool as always, a gun pointed at him from Dimitri and his goons. Jake eyed the three musclemen behind his old pal. Dimitri was a man Jake's size and not much older with shaggy brown hair gelled up nice and spiky. He wore a modern black swanky suit that contrasted his pale skin. His brown eyes stood out on his face like a target, leading to his crocked nose that Jake had broken a million times before. Jake smiled at the sight of his nose, a reminder of some good times and bad deals. "Well, if it isn't the three stooges." He leaned down at Dimitri. "I'm here to see the fourth musketeer." Jake plunked himself down in the round-back tub style leather chair.  
"Yakov. Long time no see." Jake nodded.  
"Yep. Been a lil busy taking out B.O.W.s." Jake lit a smoke, ignoring Dimitri as he scoped out the room. "I like what you did to the place." He smiled, "More classy, less assy."  
"Yeah." Dimitri smirked. "What the fuck do you want?" Jake kicked his feet out on the glass coffee table, blowing smoke into the air.  
"Yeah, about that. A couple things." Jake put up his middle finger. "One. Got a nice lil protection service I started after my group got smoked in Edonia." Dimitri and him shared a chuckle. "I heard you have some products to protect." Dimitri was about to speak when Jake cut him off. "Two?" He added his index, "If you want my services and I am telling you that you want them," he shook his head, "...not asking, I want to know your suppliers." Jake smiled at the third, putting up his pinkie. "Here's the shocker." Dimitri scoffed with a smirk, chuckling as Jake smirked back before drawing his 909 on Dimitri. "I want to know what the fuck your purple powder shit does." The henchmen stood around like a bunch of idiots. Jake chuckled. "Really dug from the barrel with your goons by the way. You sure as fuck do need my help."

"Alright, let me ask again, more clearly this time." Dimitri shrugged, as a man brought Sherry into the room, a knife at her throat. "What the fuck do you want?" Sherry tried to pull the man's hand away. Jake smiled wickedly.  
"Ooh, that's funny, Dimitri." Jake put his cigarette down as he began to laugh. "The girl is a part of the deal... Not how you think though." Sherry shot Jake an angry glance. He gave her a wink and blew her a kiss. "She's a part of the protection service. It looks like a lil escort service I'm running but my girls kick ass." Dimitri snapped his fingers. Sherry gasped as her jacket was pulled off of her, the buttons popping in one swoop. He face flushed with defiance. Dimitri circled her, scoping out her curves.  
"I like what I see." He went to touch the fastening for her halter.  
"Nah-ah. Not yet." Jake shook a finger at him. "No sampling the merchandise." He took the knife from the man and pulled out Sherry's hand. She gave Jake an angry look that turned to worry, her eyes pleading as he went to cut her hand open. "This is one of the latest B.O.W.s on the market." He let her relax her arm in his grip as she submitted then sliced her hand deeply. Sherry refused to give in to pain as her eyes glowed defiantly. She set her eyes on Dimitri, not Jake as Jake's eyes pleaded to play along. She breathed deeply, trying to stifle her utter disgust for the sickly feeling of her flesh mending itself, the blood dripping profusely from her hand coming to a stop.  
"Very nice." Dimitri smiled. "However, I have found much better toys to play with." Jake nodded his head.  
"Fair enough. Do they come so discretely packaged?" Dimitri stiffened.  
"Well. That all depends. How perfect are your models?" He stared Jake down. "Are they easy to make?"  
"Well," Jake mocked him, cocking his head as he nodded with another smirk. "All depends on how I like your product first." Dimitri paused, slinking back into his seat, hesitating as he pondered Jake's offer. Jake took the packet from Sherry's bra and threw it in Dimitri's lap. He sunk into the seat and leaned his elbows on his knees, his gun dangling from his hand across his lap. "Explain." Jake began to tap the fingers of his free hand against his gun as he stared Dimitri down.

"Okay." Dimitri said. "This new drug is better than E, better than crack, better than heroin." He smiled. "A high so good you're in a near comatose state without the withdrawl of heroin. It's so good it sells itself." He threw his hands out, emphasizing like it was the next best thing since sliced bread. "If you want buyers, it's an instant sell. It's addictive from the first try. Designed that way. But..." Jake rolled his eyes and swung his gun around randomly in the air at Dimitri to wrap it up. "Only the worthy can go past the one, dime-size dose." Jake shot him a glance, chuckling as he cocked his head.  
"Or?" Dimitri hesitated, then slammed his hand on the table, the glass shattering everywhere.  
"No one goes past one dose in my club." Jake stood up slowly.  
"Why not?" Dimitri looked up behind Jake. Sherry grabbed Jake by the shoulder and they both turned sideways in line with each other as someone shot past them, a bullet going straight through Dimitri's skull. His goons were next as Jake hopped over his seat. He grabbed Sherry by the shoulders and rolled backwards into the seat, flipping it as he wrapped himself around her, protecting them both with the chair.  
"Okay." He whispered in Sherry's ear as he pressed her to his body, "Time for Plan C."


	17. Save the world tomorrow pt 2 of 3

**Untitled**

"I didn't even know about plan b?" Sherry whispered back. She found herself straddling Jake, curled right up onto his chest, Jake's legs crossed over her back and arms around her. He covered her head protectively. He smelled wonderful like the night in the cabin, like apples, smoke and musk. Even his sweat made Sherry shiver against him, the memory of all their times together filled her mind, taking away her fear. Their few moments of intimacy together played with her mind, her body responding to his in the strange embrace beneath the round club chair, their bodies so tightly wrapped together beneath it. She hadn't noticed the quiet the had fallen around them under the darkness of their cover. She shifted every so slightly, uneasily as she felt his body respond to hers. Jake moaned softly, his lips parting over hers as he hesitated, their noses touching as Sherry titled her face to his against her will, her heart racing with adrenaline and desire. "If only." He whispered, his voice purring over her lips as he spoke his words on them, licking her lips lightly as hers searched for his.

The moment was suddenly broken when he kicked the chair towards the shooter who went crashing against the door with a loud yelp. Jake reached between Sherry's thighs, stroking her panties and skin lightly as he took her triple shot handgun out. He pulled the two of them to their feet and handed Sherry her gun. Sherry's cheeks flushed but she aligned her body with his as they readied themselves against the shooter. Jake smiled with a naughty grin. "Told you it's a good spot for your gun." He rocked on the balls of his feet as he waited for the shooter to come out from under the chair, instead they were both kicked from behind and sent rolling to the floor. Sherry rolled onto her back, aiming at the woman standing between her and Jake. Jake was on one knee, his gun aimed at the woman's head.

"So, this is your little whore." Nastasia laughed. Sherry fired at her knee but missed. She kicked Sherry's gun away with lightening speed then spun and did a quick roundhouse to disarm Jake in one fluid movement with the same leg. She followed it up with a kick from her other leg to Jake's face, spinning as she crashed to the ground, her fists in Sherry's abdomen. She suddenly grew claws in her hand and dug into Sherry's sides, tearing through her skin. Sherry shrieked and tried to struggle with her. Nastasia dug her claws into Sherry's hands. Jake kicked her off of Sherry before she could cause organ damage. Sherry whimpered as she fought the pain of her wounds, the sensation of her body healing itself. She saw the bitch attack Jake again, throwing him to the ground and kicking him repeatedly in the head, reopening the healing gash he had from the accident. By the time Sherry regained her ability to move, it was too late. She didn't make it to her weapon before she found herself sprawled once more, the mutating bitch on top of her. She began to lose the battle, looking around for her gun. It was impossible to get to at this point. She closed her eyes, preparing for the worst as she couldn't hold out any longer, the claws wrapping around her throat. One thing Sherry had never been through was decapitation testing. The claws dug in, slashing through her windpipe, cutting the arteries in her neck. The tips of Sherry's fingers barely brushed the barrel of her gun before she felt faint, the world turning black around her as tunnel vision kicked in. Her arms went limp against her will. The blood and tears mixed in her eyes. She hated the sight of her own blood since she began to be experienced on. Now seeing it gush against the walls made her stomach churn. She wondered if Jake was dead. What would they do to him if he was still alive? What about his blood?

_"I can't die."_ She whispered to herself, her body numb and limp. She needed oxygen for her cells to regenerate. Without it, she'd bleed to death soon. She had to play dead, get this bitch off of her. Kind of hard to play dead with your heart pumping your blood through your neck like a fountain. The claws became sharper, digging into her her spine, hand still closed on her throat. It was slowing the blood flow coming out of Sherry but that also meant her brain would die. She had moments before bleeding out, minutes to brain death, seconds until the bitch could sever her spine. _"This is it."_ She blinked, trying to force her eyes open, succumbing to pain, suffocation, shock. Sherry had held on beyond her limits, whispering Jake's name, a silent prayer with no wind between her pale, blue lips. Her lids fluttered closed as she forced her gaze past Nastasia to see him one last time. Jake had to be alive. "He has to be!" And she was helpless to save him.

Jake awoke, coming to his senses. He stared at soles of two pairs of feet. Blood was all over the walls, a pool on the floor. His face was soaked with blood. _"Sherry's blood."_ The wound on his head healed itself, his mind ached from the concussion he suffered. No, not a concussion. He felt his skull mending itself together. He had lived and Sherry's blood had saved him again like it had a few times before. His body burned hot, his mind reeling with the event that had brought him to the floor of this blood covered room. Sherry lay still, her eyes closed, lifeless beneath Nastasia. She smiled as she raised Sherry into the air. She analyzed sherry, rocking her head back and forth.  
"So this is the old technology." She threw Sherry like a rag-doll across the room. Her body slumped to the floor after impact. Jake rose to his feet, his face boiling with anger as he caught Nastasia's mutated gaze, her eyes like a snake. She grinned with a chuckle and sauntered up to him. "Nice toy you brought me." She chuckled again then moaned with pleasure as a scorpion trail grew from the base of her spine.

Death never phased Jake. It was an everyday experience, something he was used to growing up in a wartorn country. He was conditioned to it. Only three deaths had every disturbed him. The death of his beloved mother. The death of his father figure that had betrayed his mercenary group, earning Jake a scar on his face to remind him to never trust others. The realization his psychotic father would never die by his own hands. He closed his eyes softly before he let them open to Sherry's lifeless body beside him. His heart pounded, his head began to sweat, his emotions battled within him. The only other woman who came close to having any space in his heart before him, a woman as cold and lost in the world as Jake before he met Sherry. The only woman he ever loved dead at his feet by the former's hands. He balled his fists as Nastasia cocked her head, cooing strangely as her voice hummed. Her skin became armored with dark plates the color of blood. She was a beautiful demon before him, an angel of death. She smiled wickedly, admiring her work.  
"Your little whore is now your little angel."

Unarmed, broken, Jake stood completely still, taking in everything around him. He stared straight ahead at Nastasia but couldn't keep his eyes off the blood in the room. Sherry said she didn't love him. She said they were only a shared near-death experience, forever influencing each other's eyes, nothing more. Now he would truly never know if that's how she really felt. He wondered why it mattered, why he couldn't just let go. She changed his life for the good, he knew that they would never be together in this world. His knees felt weak as he resisted scooping her into his arms and falling into a heap of tears. He would avenge her, that he knew but he could not accept her as dead. Her throat was slashed and ripped out, her breathing stilled. Her blood was no longer flowing freely. He knew this kind of wound. He knew this meant death. Still, his face remained stoic, unchanged. He would have cried, if only he could accept her death. If only he knew how. He closed his eyes once more as Nastasia slide her fingers up his sides, stepping over his lifeless lover. She slid her tongue between his lips, looking for an invitation that never came. Jake didn't even stiffen at her touch. She whispered playfully in his ear. "Really, Jake. My heartless killer has been moved by the death of a pretty little play thing?"

Now Jake was staring at her, his eyes filling with disgust and hate as he let his gaze land on hers. He wrapped his hands around her throat instantaneously. "C-Virus?" He wouldn't let Sherry bother him, not yet. He had to complete this mission for her first.  
"No." She laughed, "Better." She arched her back and large red wings grew out from them. They were like a butterfly's. She kicked off of Jake and flew towards the door, kicking it down before flying through the club with a psychotic laugh. Red dust swirled after her. People began to scream as the place erupted into chaos. Jake covered his mouth, coughing as the powder filled his lungs but he remained unaffected. He heard death cries and coughing in the other room, bodies falling to the floor, tables tipping over, glasses breaking.

"C'mon, super girl." Jake pressed Sherry's throat back into her neck. He put his hands on her chest and began to pump them. He put his ear to her chest. Nothing. He started the process again, ten pumps then checking for a heart rate, for breathing, anything. The last of her blood trickled from her neck with each pump of his hands. He pressed on, hearing the moans of the dead as zombies began to come behind the bar, crawling to the doorway. He didn't care. Sherry had to live. Sherry had to live! After the loss of their pregnancy, he told her in that note, he could live knowing they would never be together but the world was not worth saving if she wasn't in it. The world could burn right now and Jake was not moving until he saw those beautiful grey-blue, crystal eyes dancing upon him shyly, those soft, smooth, pink lips turning every so softly into the faintest smile. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead then wiped the blood off face with the fluffy white jacket she came here in. He smiled softly, remembering the pathetic fight Sherry put up about the dress and just being in Jake's presence. She was so annoyed and flustered around him. He knew she must have been lying to protect him. He didn't need Sherry to survive in this world. He needed her to feel alive. He cried out her name in rage and began to bang his fist over her chest, desperate for her to be alive. "Sherry!" He cried out again. "Heal goddamn it!"

The zombies began to tug at his clothes. He began to beat them, taking his rage out of them for interrupting his attempts at resuscitation. He lost his mother, he never had to chance to meet his father, his only father figure betrayed him, everyone he knew was dead and gone. He couldn't lose her now. He scooped her up into his arms and ran through the building to the coat room. He rested her gently on a bench in the room and killed the zombies that were behind the counter, then secured the door with chairs. He grabbed a long winter coat for her, in case she lived she needed to be warm. He went to the employee bathroom and soaked the Sherry's fur coat, returning to wipe all the blood from her. He didn't want to remember her this way if he had to let her go. He held her there for a long time, zombies clawing at the door and counter, trying to get at them. He drowned out the sound of them with his voice, singing the song he had made for her when they escaped the Ustanak in China as he dried her hair and face with her blue scarf.

After facing the Ustanak, they had found themselves on a small island with just the warehouse on it, somewhere between Hong Kong and China. They stayed over-night on a Yatch owned my Carla and Simmons. Sherry had pushed Jake away, lost in her nightmares and memories of Raccoon City. She had remembered how she was impregnated by her father who was mutated beyond recognition from the G-Virus. Jake had picked up a guitar and began to sooth himself, not knowing how to help her or what he had done wrong. She walked in on him singing. "You saved me, oh so won't you let me save you." He realized then that he wouldn't take the last of her innocence, no matter how she begged. He taught her to love her body, covering it with kisses. He allowed Sherry to realize she was worthy of love, that her body was allowed to feel pleasure. Pleasure he was permitted to give her. Pleasure he wouldn't let himself lose control over. Pleasure he wouldn't let himself enjoy or receive from her. He loved her but he would not have her.

Their next capture, happened after a mission together. Jake had died when an object pierced them both. Sherry had thrown herself on top of him but it wasn't enough. He had died in her arms, burning to ash as she kissed him goodbye. Sherry was dragged kicking and screaming with the BSAA when Jake's body had turned into a Chrysalis. Her blood had saved him, repairing all damage, saving his humanity. It turned Sherry into a monster like her father. She sought Jake out, surrendering to his captor. Her Mr. Hyde personality had essentially raped him as he submitted to give her back humanity. Sherry didn't hate him for it. She embraced him. They made love for the first time. It resulted in a pregnancy where her G-Embryos had to be destroyed by a vaccine made from his blood and the G-Virus. It granted Sherry her humanity in exchange for the life of their single, human embryo. The strain tore them apart, Sherry brushing their relationship off as nothing after Jake left with only a note and a kind word.

Jake made a mistake. He did it to protect her. He did it because he loved her. They could never be safe. Not now, not ever. Maybe not even after the viruses were stopped. There would always be some psycho in the world trying to kill them or use them for some sick experiment or new virus. He should have stayed, despite the tension and turmoil between them. Even now, he didn't care if Nastasia turned the whole world to shit, so long as Sherry lived. When they were together, they could do anything. She had to live.

He cuddled her up in his arms, finally submitting to his emotions. He cried in rage at what had happened. He chuckled with joy at all their crazy moments. He smiled at their awkward silences that drew them together. He cried again about those same moments pulling them apart. He felt insane as he let himself go, the silence letting his thoughts go wild. Jake hated silence. He was a deep thinker and silence allowed him to be who he really was, not who he was forced to become. Sherry always brought out who he really was, even in death. The world was cold and cruel, unforgiving and relentless. Jake had a heart worthy of love, a past worthy of forgiveness. Sherry was the only one who truly knew him. He cried out her name softly, repeating it between his sobs, unable to his his gaze off of her tiny frame in his arms. He began to ask her why she gave up, why she couldn't hold on a few more seconds for him to save her. Why did she have to come into his life, flip everything upside down and storm out like this. He was angry at her for saving him, for making him see the world still had precious things worthy of saving. He fell on top of her, his tears stirring up the dried blood all over her as time went by.

Jake didn't want to be alone anymore. He wanted her. He wanted her since China. He saw everything in her. He could see their future together in her eyes the few times they made love. He wanted to father her children. He wanted to be there for her, to protect her, to never let anyone hurt her again. He left because he didn't want her to get hurt because of him. She was supposed to take a desk job. He knew she was too stubborn to. He should have stayed. Regret filled him deeply, ripping away at the anger her felt for her stubbornness.

He opened his eyes, lifting his head to take in the soft curves of her face. Her eyes fluttered open at him but were unfocused. He frowned, drowning out any hope in his heart. He remembered that was just a reflex of death. It would soon pass. They fluttered again. He wanted to close her eyes, hold them until it stopped but he couldn't do it. His arms were numb as his energy drained from him, his body shaking with tension. He buried his head face against her chest, biting his lip to calm his sobs. He thought he heard a single heart beat but knew he must have been imagining it. He thought he heard someone speak his name. It happened again, the softest whisper. Only this time, a soft breath stirred the hair on the top of his head.

**Had you for a moment there, didn't I?**

* * *

**"Sigh no more, no more. One foot in sea, one on shore. My heart was never pure. You know me. You know me." Sigh No More, Mumford and Sons**

"Jake." The faintest whisper against his ginger hair startled him. Like the voice of an angel bringing him back from the dead. He whipped his head up to meet her faint gaze. Sherry reached her hand to stroke his hair and face but it dropped back to her side. She winced in pain, coughing before she tried to speak once more. She tried hard but barely mouthed the words. "You're alive." She smiled softly, her eyes fluttering closed against her will.

Jake's tears continued to roll, this time becoming joy. He scooped her up in his arms, letting himself go again. "I'm supposed to say that, super girl." He tried his best to hold back, the way he always trained himself to do. Men did not cry. Mercenaries did not cry. Men who became mercenaries were dead to this world, dead to emotion, as cold as the snowy land he came from. Sherry peirced his heart with a hot stave, letting it melt. The water pour from his eyes. He found himself shaking once more, holding her tight, never wanting to let her go.

"You're alive, Sherry." He kissed her head, her soft golden locks like honey on his lips. "I don't know how but you're alive!" He kept repeating the words like a mantra, whispering between his sobs, shaking his head in disbelief. "Goddamn it, don't scare me like this again." He growled in her ear, his voice filled with rage."  
"I won't." She chuckled weakly, whimpering in pain again as her body shook and contorted. She gritted her teeth, clamping her eyes shut. She wanted to be happy but her body continued to writhe as she cried out. Jake put his lips to hers, muffling her cries with a soft kiss on her lips.  
"Shhh..." He whispered, "We have a situation." He gestured with his head at the dead scratching and clawing at the coat-check counter. She nodded her head, glancing around the room. He picked her up gently and wrapped the coat he found her around her petite frame. "Sherry, I need to go collect your purse. Your thermal suit and phone are in there. We need to get you help and I need to get you warm." He gently stroked her dry, blue lips with his thumb as he looked her over. She was dehydrated, shivering and lost a lot of blood. He placed her back on the bench as softly as an infant, then began collecting jackets to pile in the bathroom. He returned for her with a bottle of water, placing it to her lips. She tried to resist but her politely hushed her again. "Please, save your strength." He pressed the water to her lips once more. "You lost a lot of blood. I'm afraid to give you mine, besides having a blood type match." He shook his head. "I don't want to see G ever again."

G. Sherry's Mr. Hyde. She came out the last time Sherry was dying and exposed to Jake's blood. His blood cured her of G but it also had the risk of bringing her out by mutating her blood. He didn't want another one of those episodes, especially in her weakened state. She may lost control and never regain her humanity.

She drank slowly, weakly but she did finish the water. "Good." Jake half whispered. "You need to replace all the blood you lost." He smiled ever so softly at her. Her state frightened him. He lifted her to his chest, cradling her in his arms. She felt as weak and as light as his ill mother in his arms, before she passed, not long before he became a mercenary. Jake became a mercenary to support his mother's health, to give her a better life, the one his father did not offer. He had come home to her death note, the money in his hands for her treatments. It was too late. Now he had to leave Sherry behind to get her help, to keep her safe.

"Sherry." He lifted her gently to the pile of coats in the bathroom. "I need to retrieve your things now. I will return as soon as I can." He was lost in her eyes. She looked afraid but nodded in understanding. He licked his lips, holding her tighter than before, shaking his head as he tried to convince himself to leave more than trying to make her stay. "If I don't go, I'm afraid you'll die." He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let it happen. He pushed her gun into her hand, placing her hands on her stomach. He took a deep breath, trying to still his pounding heart at the sight of his weakened love. "Here." He tried to look away but couldn't. "Just... Just in case." He pulled away unwillingly and rose to his feet, pausing in the doorway as he left her behind. "Please, don't die on me, super girl." He nodded, then left.  
"Wait!" Sherry gasped out. He paused again, glancing over his shoulder. Sherry continued, searching for answers in his eyes. "That woman?" Jake closed his eyes slightly, looking off to the side, deep in thought, trying to find an answer.  
"A long story." He nodded, then shut the door, barricading it.

Sherry held her breath as Jake left. He had used her same words from the time he found out she could heal herself. She allowed herself to let go, tears of pain and fear rolling out of her as she began to shake violently again, her body contorting in pain, the sick sensation of it trying to heal, blood trying to rebuild to fill her empty veins. It hurt more than anything she had experienced before and that was to say a lot.

She was cold, afraid, alone, just like in Raccoon City. She longed for her parents who were never there for her when they were alive. She missed for Leon who recently spent as much time with her as he could but couldn't be there for her as a teen. She wanted Claire here, her mother figure, who was always there to bring her out of the darkness through all the tests and experiments, the torture she endured for so many years, now too busy with helping immediate survivors of bio-terrorism. Most of all, the one person she wanted the most, her beloved. She wanted to tell him how she felt, for once and for all, to never let him go.

Something else was wrong. She leaned over ang began to vomit coffee grounds. She knew what that meant. Dried, digested blood. Fresh blood was mixed in with it. She wiped her mouth weakly, then covered the vomit with a jacket. She couldn't let Jake know she was sick. She knew she was susceptible to bacteria. The bitch she fought before must have perforated her bowel. Her abdomin and it's organs had healed but it hurt severely. Sherry had food poisoning before as a child. It felt just like that. She vomited violently again, barely able to hold herself inches from the floor as she rolled onto her stomach. She tugged the jackets around once more. Her body could fight the infection by regenerating cells but that didn't mean it could kill the bacteria off. She carried medication in her side pack, just in case it ever happened on a mission. The contents were now in her purse. She had to get to it without Jake seeing it.

Jake wanted to lead the zombies away, to keep Sherry safe. He was successful. They moved quickly but were way easier to deal with than J'avo. Jake had his experience with these B.O.W.s, working as a mercenary. It was child's play. Normally he would enjoy the fun, watching their heads explode, their brains splattering everywhere. It was funny to stand outside their reach, to cut his finger and let them smell his blood. This was no fun at all, trying to race against time to scare them off and collect Sherry. He didn't even know how they were going to get out before the BSAA raided the city. He was willing to give himself up at this point. He would do anything for Sherry. Time and time again, especially after China, he proved he would die for her. Even if she could heal herself and tempted death like the devil himself, he protected her secrets by keeping her out of trouble in front of people who didn't know. He sure as hell would protect her as if she didn't have that healing factor.

Jake made his way back to the clubs VIP, back to where they had been ambushed by Nastasia. He knew this place had a panic room. He would have to leave Sherry there, find her help, possibly turn himself into Redfield. The idea sickened him but it was better than having her die. He smirked to himself. Jake Muller, the master of congucal visits. Didn't seem like a lot of fun to him. Still, it was better than the company he had in China, just a toilet and assholes draining his blood like vampires. Even better than Italy, one particular asshole taunting him, pushing him to his limits. Then again, who would put Jake Muller in a standard prison? No matter what they did to him, Sherry had to be safe. He had to keep her alive. He didn't care what happened anymore.

He pressed on, finding her things finally. He also found one other thing that was necessary to enter the room. Dimitri's ring. He slipped it off the corpse's finger, placing it on his own. He closed Dimitri's eyes, ignoring the other corpses in the room. A single shot to the forehead had ended the life of his old "friend." Jake took a different route back to the coat room, knowing the place better than the back of his hand. He spent a lot of time here between battles, enjoying the finer things in life. Booze, women, whatever he wanted and didn't even have to pay for. It was all done on credit. Dimitri was well connected. Jake was surprised that he wasn't the real one in control. He wondered how his old stripper girlfriend, Nastasia, got the upper hand. He never saw her as the type to kill, the type to take control outside of the bedroom. Something was definitely wrong. Jake could play poker face, but Nastasia obviously kept the upper hand, the best bluffer he knew besides himself.

He locked several doors behind himself. finally reaching Sherry. He unbarred the door to the coatroom, then the one to the bathroom in the back. "Sherry?" He whispered. He peeked in, not wanting to startle her. She weakly pointed her gun in his direction, then let it fall to her side as she let it go.  
"Damn thing is so heavy." She whispered, coughing again. He smiled softly once more. Sherry continued to shake and shiver, pursing her lips as she fought the pain. Her cheeks were red, the rest of her face pale, her lips still blue. Her cheeks were sunken, under her eyes were dark but she still looked as beautiful as ever to Jake. He scooped her up again, becoming frightened again with her condition.  
"Sherry." He searched her eyes, his hands hesitating on the clasp of her halter-style dress. "May I dress you?"  
She looked at him with confusion. She knew that under the badass disguise, her mercenary had the heart of a gentleman. She gave him a nod, chuckling softly as she quoted a song by Aqua. "Dress me up, make it tight, I'm your dolly." Jake chuckled back, taking a deep breath, hesitating once more. She smiled softly again, eyeing his face, his lips, his scar. Her eyes soaked him up while he was distracted by undressing her, trying not to be aroused by her flesh. Jake's cheeks flushed, his hands clumsy as if he had never seen a woman naked before, as if he had never seen Sherry naked before.

He cleared his throat, then tore the already shredded dress off of her. She shivered against the cold. He tried to awkwardly pull the thermal suit over her shoes, failing miserably. Sherry bit her lip, pretending not to notice. Fuck the zombies, if Sherry wasn't so weak and in pain, she would have taken him herself then and there. She pressed herself against the cold, tile wall as Jake gently slid his hands up her thighs to the zipper of her boots. He slid them down gently, one at a time and slipped them off. He cocked his head with a smirk, shaking it as he noticed her plain white ankle length socks. "Real sexy, babe." She giggled back, wincing against the pain as he tried his best to move her as little as possible.

He slid the black, purple hued suit up both of her legs, then pulled her against himself as he rose them both to their feet. He let Sherry lean against him like he was dressing a life sized doll, pressing his hips against hers to keep her up while he got her arms into it. He pressed his head against her shoulder and couldn't notice how sweet her skin still smelled, besides all the blood he had washed away. He slipped her arms in one at a time, pressing her against him with his free hand, feeling excited as her bare breasts lay against his silk shirt. Sherry moaned softly into his ear. He blushed slightly, knowing that this was not the time or place but glad that even if she said she didn't love him, she still wanted him. That meant there was still hope.

He wrapped his arms around her petite frame and laid her gently back to the pile of fur coats. His imagination was running wild in his head as he tried to still his pounding heart and heavy breaths. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment too long as always, Jake holding her closer than he needed to for far too long after their eyes looked away from each other. "I'm sorry." He finally whispered, still looking away.  
"Jake?" Sherry was looking down at the floor, "I..." She coughed again, her lips and throat dry.  
"Save it." He whispered, finally meeting her gaze again. "I don't want any misunderstandings between us again." Sherry shook her head weakly.  
"No... I..." She tried again but he pressed a finger to her lips before zipping up the front of her thermal suit, holding his breath as he tried not to get excited by her sexy frame. He tried hard to push the memory of their passion out of his head. He pulled away to grab her phone from her purse. She reached out a hand weakly, trying to grab him. Her hand failed, falling to her lap.  
"Stop moving for fucks sake!" He spoke slowly with anger. She knew that tone. The tone he used when they had to leave Nivans and Redfield in the underwater base. She knew she wasn't going to get her way.  
"No!" She protested, coughing again, her eyes filling with tears. "Not until..." She coughed harder, cursing in her mind against her condition. "Not until you hear me out. Not until I tell you I love you, how I've always loved you." Her mind was screaming the words, her body choking them from coming out. She felt angry and frustrated. She tried to reach him again but he pulled away.

"Sherry." He searched her phone, turning away as he let her finish her coughing fit. "I need you to dial FOS, you need to find Redfield." He searched her eyes again. "We need to get you help. He's the only one I'll trust." She nodded, taking the phone and dialing the number. He pressed the phone to her ear.  
"Agent Sherry Birkin." She rambled off a passcode into the phone. "Please, I need Chris Redfield, BSAA, FOS." She waited on the line. "Chris?" She began to cough again. Jake waited, wanting to grab the phone and scream out what Sherry needed. Jake wiped her mouth gently with his hand. She had dried blood all over her lips from her throat. She took a deep breath and went on. "I need help. Type O blood." She rolled over to her side, hyperventilating. Jake looked at her with grave concern. She began to vomit again. Coffee grounds once more.  
"What the hell." Jake grabbed her, whispering as he tried not to be heard. He was holding her from falling, "You're sick." She caught her breath and continued to talk to Redfield, refusing to make eye contact with Jake as she stared at her own vomit. He pulled her up to him, her back against his chest. He handed her another bottle of water but she refused as she began to speak to Redfield again.

"I'm fine," she said to him between her breaths, "I need broad spectrum antibiotics as well, intravenous or injection, for E. Coli." She paused, breathing heavy. Jake stared at the ceiling, cradling her in his arms as she sat in his lap. She nearly dropped her phone. He grabbed her hand and pressed the phone to her ear. "Yes, I'll meet you there."  
"No." Jake shook his head, whispering in her other ear. "You won't make it. I'll go. Even if I have to turn myself in." He felt her tears run down her face to his arm. He pressed his cheek against her hair and kissed her softly. She nodded softly, pausing before she continued with Chris.  
"Correction. A survivor will meet you there." A pause, "Just one man made it. You will know him when you see him." She paused again, gagging as she held back her stomach. "Thank you, Chris."

She closed her phone, letting it drop to the floor. Silence filled the tiny stall, only breaking when Sherry bent forward to released herself again. Jake grabbed toilet paper and wiped her mouth for her, then tossed it into the garbage. He held her for a while, silently, his arms wrapped around her. She wrapped her fingers around his hands, letting her head rest against his lean, strong chest. He kissed the back of her head again. She could feel him shake his head, then he sighed heavily.  
"Sherry?" He broke the silence.  
"Stop," she whispered back. "I'm okay." She insisted, sounding angry for his concern. He let the silence settle again for only a moment before becoming angry with her himself.  
"No, when the hell were you goin' to tell me you're sick?" She coughed gently and began to hyperventilate. She shot him a harsh look before coughing again.  
"When were you planning to tell me who that woman is?"

Jake turned his face away, feeling a sting from her tone. The room fell quiet again as he refused to answer. Sherry looked down, noticing a ring on his finger. "What is this?" She whispered. Her eyes went wide. "I know this ring." She began to hyperventilate again. "Jake?" She coughed again, trying to hold back from vomiting. "Jake, this is..."  
"The Family ring?" He answered coldly. He knew what it was. He didn't know that Sherry knew it.  
"Simmons." She stammered, "Simmons had one." She stared at the little green serpent ring, jade bound in gold. "This..."  
"Dimitri was connected." He answered. "He's Russian Mafia. His family owned this club before him." Jake picked her up gently into his arms, then lifted himself off the floor. "There is a panic room here, for just in case things get heavy." He finally let his gaze settle on her again, his stomach feeling sick from the look of fear and betrayal in her eyes. "I needed to get his ring to enter it."  
"But Jake." She whispered, "Do you know what the Family is?" She furrowed her brows, searching him for an answer.  
"Nope." He shook his head honestly, "Should I?"  
"Yes!" She answered with exasperation. "They were behind the attacks in Washington and China. Simmons was with them! They are why I had to find you the first time!" She began to cough again, holding her breath as she pursed her lips, trying to let the feeling leave her. She panted once more. Jake looked away from her with shame.  
"I didn't know." He shook his head, "Honestly." He paused, looking her in the eye. "Mercs like me, we don't ask questions. We take the cash and do as we are told." He rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling as walked her through the kitchen of the club, shooting the remaining zombies in the head. He lead her to the panic room's elevator, just around the corner as he continued to explain himself. "Dimitri is a long-term customer, that's all." He shook his head. "Never knew, never cared."  
"And the woman?" Sherry stared at him hard again. He shook his head and looked away. He hated how she was interrogating him, like she didn't trust him anymore.  
"Are we done here?" He gave her a cold look. Sherry looked away, her cheeks flushed with emotion.

He put the ring up to the scanner and stepped into the elevator. He pressed it to a scanner inside again. "This thing runs on a generator. Only one other person besides me that is still alive to know about this place." He closed his eyes softly, then shook his head. "What fucking luck."  
"The woman." Sherry answered for him. He stared at her coldly once more, before turning away.  
"Yeah. Her." He stared at the ceiling again. Sherry refused to look away. He blinked at looked down at her before the doors opened. He walked through and scanned his ring at another door. It opened to reveal a rather comfortable suite, fully stocked with food, weapons, water, ammunition. Jake lay her down on a comfortable round bed in the suite. He then began to choose weapons, loading a few guns before adjusting and buckling the holsters expertly and slugging them onto his tall frame.

Sherry glared at him. "Who is she, Jake?" Jake smirked, scoffing with a chuckle. He looked away, then back at Sherry.  
"Are you jealous or something, super girl?" He tsked as he scoffed again. "She's nobody." She was still looking at him hard.  
"I saw you two. In that pretty little room?" Their eyes narrowed at each other. Jake looked away.  
"She isn't nobody, is she, Jake?" He paced the room uncomfortably, then continued to arm himself. He sighed, sitting down on the bed.  
"Look, super girl. She is nobody now. She almost somebody once." He shook his head. "I don't know who the fuck she is anymore." Sherry tried to get reception on her phone. Jake took it away.  
"You, use that phone if you need to." He pointed at a phone beside the bed. "Only I know the number." He looked at the GPS on her phone. It had no reception. "This will tell me where to find Chris, right?" He met her gaze again.  
"Yeah, it will." He pushed himself off the bed, ignoring her piercing gaze.  
"Thanks." He went to the door. "You will be locked in here. There are weapons, food, water, whatever you need." He turned on the TV with the push of a button. "International news." He pointed. "This one is English." Sherry shook her head softly again.  
"Who is she?" He paused before finally giving in, still not looking at her.  
"Nastasia. That's all I know." He shook his head, "Don't even know her real name." He sighed before seeing Sherry for the last time, her face filled with hurt. "Never cared to know." He turned and scanned his ring before leaving the room. "Be safe, super girl. I'll be back soon. I promise."

What does everyone prefer? Having to wait for longer chaps or having snippet updates? Getting tired of running out of space so I think I will do longer chaps but I'm good either way :)

* * *

**"If you wanna start again. You can talk to me in confidence. Everybody needs help when they're going through hell and baby I can see you're not doing well. Soon your heart will find a way to set you free. Looking for life at the end of the day. Tired of the ghostly shapes you're seeing, the hard life you're living. The self destruction. You've gotta find a way to let love in" If You Want to Start Again, The Trews**

Jake closed her in, safe and hidden away from the wolrd. The generator had enough power to last, that wasn't an issue. Nastasia had no way of entering the panic room, he knew that. He still couldn't shake the feeling the feeling that he left Sherry vulnerable, exposed. It was up to him to return for her, to keep her safe.

He checked the GPS system on Sherry's phone, The rendezvous was two hours away, in Tver. It was a city between Moscow and St. Petersberg, only a quarter way to the later. He wanted to get a ride that was fast. Spending eight hours to get to Moscow was not so bad the first time but with Sherry's condition? Jake found himself nervous, all of his twitches coming out as he paced the windows, searching the zombies and corpses outside for the vallet that parked his car. Finally, results. He needed the vallet's key to get into the vallet booth, to obtain a more suitable vehicle.

Jake killed as many zombies as he could, clearing a bath to the vallet's corpse. He found the corpse, shredded to bits. Poor sucker didn't stand a chance. Jake smirked, shaking his head. At least the zombies didn't swallow the key. He took the man's wallet and reclaimed the tips. "Well, don't mind if I do." He whispered with a nod. "A man's gotta eat and it looks like you're doing okay." Jake looked around as more zombies began to fill the area. He ran to the vallet booth and opened it up, then searched the key rack. He knew which ones belong to Dimitri. "Bingo." He picked up the key with a mini, magic 8-ball attached to it. He found himself smirking again, "Guess it didn't see this shit coming." He shook the key in his fist twice, smiling in victory, then marched to Dimitri's private garage.

Getting in was easy. He scanned the ring in a few places, found the bike, scanned it once more to leave. "Piece of cake." He pushed the key into the ignition and reved the bike to life. He checked the gas. It should be enough to get him there and back. He would need another ride to escape with Sherry later. If she was willing that is. He slipped Sherry's phone onto the cellphone holder mounted on the dash, then sped off North-West to his destination.

Sherry found herself alone once more. Being alone was both a comfort and a curse. The more she was alone here, the more she remembered being a child in Raccoon City. She would always be haunted by that past. Loneliness was a demon she was accustomed to. Her parents never had time for her. She remembered when Leon told her that her mother was dead. Her mother's last words was that she always loved Sherry. "Mommy never..." She meant Mommy never loved me, her tears choking her words. She coughed again and found her way to the bathroom, stumbling along, her head realing with dizziness and confusion. Jake said she would be safe here but after her experience in Raccoon City, she never felt safe. Only in his arms did she ever feel comfort. She vomited once more, crying out in pain as her stomach wretched, fresh blood pouing out of her. She felt something tear in her insides. Without the anti-biotics, her body would not heal properly. She crawled her way to her purse, her hands shaking as she uncapped the bottle. She found a bottle of water in a pantry, her chest heaving as she tried to steady herself to drink. She immediately vomited back up the medication, crying in frustration. Sherry had not feared death since she faced Ustanak. She begged, praying for Jake to return soon.

Jake parked the bike a block away from where he was to meet Chris. A refugee camp was set up here, the town unaffected by the bullshit Nastasia caused. He looked everywhere as he joined the crowd, wearing of anyone who may recognize him. He tugged a winter hat down over his red hair, pulled his collar of his jacket up around his face, a scarf wrapped tightly around it to hide his scar. He was here for Redfield, for medicine, nothing more. Finally, he spotted Chris. He dialed a direct line from Sherry's phone. Redfield answered his headset.  
"Muller?"  
"Yeah. I'm your survivor, Redfield. I'm here." Jake watched him from a distance, pacing in the crowd, watching over his shoulder. His dark sunglasses covered his eyes, further hiding his identity from the BSAA soldiers who marched around with heavy weaponry in their hands. Even in the near floor length black, leather jacket, Chris recognized his walk and frame. Jake realized he had been spotted and gave up being incognito. He pocketed Sherry's phone, looking over his shoulder with hesitation, hoping no one else would recognize him.

Chris walked up to Jake with a large silver case in his hand, his 909 handgun in the other. Chris put the case down and slipped his 909 back into his holster. He reached out a hand to Jake without hesitation. Jake looked straight at him coldly, then down at his hand, pondering if to take it. Just as Chris was going to pull away, Jake reluctantly shook his hand firmly. Chris smiled softly, the crowd moving around them as if it was any other day.  
"I had a feeling it was you." He spoke softly, trying not to draw any attention. "I'm glad you're helping her." Jake scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, looking away with disgust before letting his eyes rest on Chris again.  
"Please, Redfield. Your organization wants me, dead or alive." Chris hesitated, then nodded.  
"That's true, however," he sighed, "I have my own investigation going on. The BSAA is the Bio-terrorism authority, not the UN. We handle the dirty work." Chris continued to stare Jake down, sizing him up. The resemblence Jake had to his father was rather unnerving. Chris couldn't take his eyes off of him.  
"What?" Jake stared him down, angry with the way Chris always looked at him. "I am not my father." He whispered, gritting his teeth. "I'm here to help Sherry, that's it." He pointed at the case, then at Chris. "I hope you put enough supplies in there. The poor girl nearly bled out." Chris knew about Sherry's healing factor. He saw it when Jake had died. Sherry clawed the doorway to the crumbled building Jake was in until her fingers bled, her bones digging into the door as her flesh broke and healed repeatedly.  
"Yeah." He whispered, "How is she." He handed the case to Jake, who squatted down to check its contents. He cocked his head, checking each item in the case.  
"Not good." He said coldly. "She's very sick." He frowned at the contents. Chris cut him off before he could speak.  
"Are you holding her hostage?" Jake blinked at that one. He narrowed his eyes in anger, rising to his feet slowly, pocketing his shades before he pressed himself nose to nose with Chris.  
"Who the fuck do you think I am?" Jake's eyes widened they glowed with anger. He pulled himself away, holding back. He took a few deep breaths, then returned to the medicine case. "I'm not a monster." He whispered, shaking his head with a frown. "I would never hurt her." He repeated the words. "Never." He looked at the contents once more. "Chris, I don't have time for this shit. There isn't an I.V. kit, there isn't enough blood, plasma, fluids." He checked the needles in the box. He had enough of those.

Chris was still stairing him down, a look of confusion on his face. "I thought you'd bring her here, to see a doctor. I can send Rebecca with you." Jake shook his head, closing the case before rising to his feet.  
"No, no, no. I'm through babysitting." He pointed a finger at Chris. "I had a sick mother growing up. I can hook this shit up myself. Just get me what I need." Chris shrugged.  
"Dr. Chambers can take care of herself. She is a Raccoon City survivor, a member of S.T.A.R.S., like me." Jake shrugged back, answering coldly, his face stoic.  
"Well now, Dr. Chambers can join the 'I don't give a fuck' club. Or she can suck my dick." He threw his hands out at his sides, "Either one is fine with me." He shook his head, pointing a finger, "Besides, Sherry is in no condition to be out here."  
"I can get her a chopper, make sure she is safe." Jake shook his head, waving a hand in the air.  
"She won't allow that. She already compromised her mission saving my ass and I'm sure as hell not going to try to fight her stubborness. I've met my match." Chris nodded with understanding.  
"She must have picked that up from Claire. Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn."  
"Damn staight." Jake rocked his head with a nod. "Look, I need at least 4 bags of type O, two plasma, two fluids. Antibiotics look fine to me." He was counting along on his fingers as he read his list. "And an I.V. line and needle." Chris nodded.  
"Consider it done. Meet me here in 15 minutes." Jake shook his head.  
"Make it five. I have a two hour ride back to her and every minute counts." Jake slipped his shades back onto his face and pushed the case back at Chris. He turned and walked away, fading into the crowd. Chris shook his head in disbelief before heading to the medical tent.

Jake pressed himself up a wall. He was enjoying an apple from the survivor's tent as he whistled in boredom. He checked the time on Sherry's phone. Redfield was late. He rejoined the crowd, pacing nervously, wondering if Chris was going to turn him in. Finally, Redfield showed up. Jake finished his apple, dropping the core to the floor. He pinched his nose nervously, still pacing. "So?" He spoke anxiously, looking at the case. Chris opened it up. Jake paused, eyeing the contents with joy like it contained that fifty-million dollars he had originally wanted for his own blood when he met Sherry. "Thank you." He smiled at Chris for the first time ever. They shared a nod. Jake shook his cocked head with sincerity. "You won't regret this." Chris closed the case and pressed it to Jake's chest.  
"I hope not." He smiled wryly. "Please, just take care of her." He nodded over to a redhead that was attending to survivors near a tent ten feet away. "For my sister's sake." Jake nodded with a smile, staring at the tall redhead.  
"Claire?" He let his gaze set on Chris, who smiled back, replying with a nod. Jake nodded with respect before turning away, anxious to return to Sherry's side. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

Sherry awoke naked to the warmth of a body beside her. She didn't know how long she was out for. Her stomach was feeling much better and her body was no longer aching with pain and numbness. She found her arm under the pillow with his, their fingers intertwined, her back to his chest. A familiar bulge against her behind. She smiled warmly, giving the hand wrapped around her chest a gentle squeeze. She knew his scent and his warmth anywhere. Jake had returned for her at last. She gently removed his hand, trying not to disturb his sleep. He moaned gently, reaching out for her, whispering her name softly. Sherry smiled at the sight. This was one hell of a dream she didn't want to wake from. She could see a life with her mercenary, away from all the madness in this world. If only their fathers weren't insane, evil geniuses. They were born year apart and their fathers were friends. They could have shared a life together. If only. The words stung her. The only thing separating them now was the people after Jake and her commitment to her captors, the US Government. Even though she took the deal Simmons offered her, Leon couldn't get her released from her bondage. They would follow her to the ends of the Earth and the BSAA would follow. Sherry and Jake were B.O.W.s and they would never be seen as anything less. They would never live a normal life. She sighed as she went to fill the bath tub. Their children would be the exact thing that Jake's father wanted to create. A perfect race of immortals, immune to all viruses and pathogens. The perfect jump in evolution. It was a sick joke that the children of the rival madmen would save the world, only to create the very thing their parents wanted, only for the right reasons. Their children would be hunted and used, experimented on, examined, tortured. Sherry couldn't allow that. It was her decision to make, her decision as a mother. She wouldn't let it happen.

She filled the bath tub with hot water, letting it soak in. She washed the remaining blood out of her hair, scrubbing her skin like she could wash away the sin passed down to her from her father. She found herself crying, unable to accept her fate, to be alone for the rest of eternity. If she chose to be with Jake, would he even live as long as she could? Would their children also watch their "human" loved ones die again and again through the generations. She didn't know why anyone would want this curse, to be immortal. She didn't know if piercing her heart, destroying her brain could kill her but the thought that people would try it on her children hurt her more deeply than the idea of forever being alone. One day, she would watch everyone grow old and die. She would have to be alone. She couldn't bare to lose Jake that way, remembering the words in his breakup letter. That one day he would be old and grey and she would be young and beautiful but he would still love her until his last breath.

Sherry cried more, not noticing the man that walked into the room. He placed a soft kiss on her cheek, startling her. His deep blue eyes dancing upon her face, soaking up every inch of her beauty. He wiped her tears away. "Don't cry, super girl." He frowned gently, pursing his lips. "We'll be okay." He nodded, "This world is a dark, fucked up place but we have to continue to live, not just breathe." His smile was so soft, so warm. It made her want to cry more. She threw her arms around and buried her face in his chest.  
"Jake." She pulled his naked body toward the king sized bathtub. "Please," she shook her head, battling emotions in her self as she let the words escape her, "Please, hold me."

Jake shook his head, then pressed his forehead to hers. "I can't do this." He whispered softly. Twenty four hours had passed since he gave Sherry her blood and medicine. She should be on the road to recovery by now. Still, there was too much unfinished between them for Jake to allow himself to give into her.

Sherry was the type to let Jake lead. Jake was the type to advance first. Thing had changes since China. When it came to lovemaking, he always hesitated. He always allowed Sherry to take the lead, to initiate passion. He was always full of desire but also afraid of consequences. Especially after their loss. Sherry had been so cold to him the last time they made love. She threw him off of her, like he had done something wrong. She stopped him before his release, literally kicking him to the floor. He lay there, naked and confused. She blamed him for leaving. She wouldn't even let him explain anything as she rattled on about her mission. Yet here they were, in each other's arms again, Jake finding himself to be the moral compass.

"We can not do this." He spoke slowly, harshly. She gave the puppydog face, her eyes sad and longing as her lips pouted. He looked away. He wasn't going to give in. "Either you love me or you don't Sherry but please, stop fucking with me." He bit his bottom lip, taking a deep breath, pushing it out of his lungs. "What the fuck do you care who that girl was, too? Are we something?" His gaze went cold and dark. "Something more than just a shared-near-death-experience?" He shook his head. "I thought we were once." He stood up, his full height dwarfing her small frame in the tub. He hesitated, then left the room. "Was I ever wrong."  
"Jake!" She called out for him. He ignored her, slinking away. "Jake!" She pleaded with him. Her tone made him pause. "I'm sorry, I lied. I did it to protect you." She shook her head, searching her mind for the words as she stared at the bubbles swirling in the tub. "I was wrong. I was fearful for our future, for our children's future."

Jake pinched his nose. He shook his head, walking away. Sherry leaned on the edge of the tub, watching him go to sit on the bed. He slumped down with a sigh, stretching himself out.  
"I'm going back to bed." He shook his head curled up in the blanket. She continued to stare off at him, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed silently. She watched him closely, seeing every tremble of his body. She thought she heard him sob above her own voice.  
"Why did you kiss me, Jake?" She called out angrily. "Why do you always kiss me?" He didn't answer. "Goddamn it, Jake. We can't keep doing this." The silence filled the room for a long moment. Sherry threw the bottle of shampoo at the wall with frustration. She let it shatter, the yellow liquid pooling all over the floor. She cried out in rage, the conditioner her next victim. Jake turned to watch, chuckling at her frustration. Sherry was panting and sobbing, like a child throwing a tantrum. He couldn't fight himself. She was just too cute, too sweet, too perfect. He walked over and cleaned the mess with a towel, not wanting her to get hurt. He shook the plastic fragments into the trash then threw the towel carelessly in the hamper before sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Sherry." He shook his head softly before gazing at her again. "Seriously, what the fuck do you want from me?" He stared at her. She searched for words but found no answers. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Our kids will be hunted, just like us. We'll never be free, never be safe." He dipped his hand into the water, letting the warmth soak into his cold hands. "Really, there will always be someone hunting us down to the ends of the Earth." He let his gaze fall on her again, expecting her to be looking away nervously. She was looking straight at him, a sense of confidance on her face.

"I'm sick of running, sick of fighting." She spat the words out angrily. "I've had enough. No matter what we do, how we push each other away..." She trailed off, looking away again. Jake kissed her head softly. Sherry put her arms around him and pulled him into the water against his will. He tumbled in, the suds fluffing up all over as he tried to resist her. They slipped around in the tub as she held onto him, pulling him in, pleading with him. "Whatever we can be together, Jake, I want it! I want it so bad! I've wanted it since China, when I first saw that you were alive." She pulled him down once more and climbed into his lap. "You make me feel human, Jake. You make me feel alive." She whispered, looking deeply into his eyes. "Goddamn it if He must, I want it!" She kissed him hard and quick, passionately as she forced her tongue between his lips. He gasped against her touch, trying to push her away again. She pulled her lips away from his. "I don't care about the consequences. I'm not giving up on us again." She growled at him, then whispered into his ear desperately as she kissed up his neck. "I want you! I need you!" She began to cry, her body shaking against his in the warm water as she pulled him desperately into her arms. "I want you!"


	18. Save the world tomorrow pt 3 of 3

**"You and I go hard at each other like we going to war. Get so damn dysfunctional we stopped keeping score. There you again making me love you. Stopped using my head, let it all go. Got you stuck on my body like a tattoo. And now I'm feeling stupid crawling back to you. I know I said it a million times but I'll only stay with you one more night. Trying to tell you no, but my body keeps on telling you yes. Trying to tell you stop, but your lipstick got me so out of breath. I'd be waking up in the morning probably hating myself, feeling satisfied but guilty as hell." On More Night, Maroon 5**

Jake, the ruthless killer for higher, giving into a woman. A naive little goody two shoes of all things. It was laughable. Yet here he was, surrendering in a bubble bath to some intelligent blonde with a sheltered life and a twisted fate. Her lips were soft and buttery on his own as she held him tighter, pressing herself against him. He wanted to resist but was helpless in her arms. He couldn't fight her anymore. Not since the time he first let her go, when he went back home to Edonia and she to the US. A place he would never fit in no matter how hard he tried to make it work.

Sherry's lips pressed on, searching his out as he tried to back away. Her tongue tasted sweet on Jake's as it softly played on his lips, flicking past his teeth to the roof of his mouth. His tongue met hers against his will as he let his head fall back to the headrest at the other edge. Luckily the tub was in the center of the room, his legs dangled outside of it helplessly as she held him down with her petite frame against his will, pushing his shoulders down into the water. She kissed him slowly, softly, accepting his hesitation. He moaned into her lips, trying to hold back. He felt himself hardening against her firm ass as she writhed above him, her moans muffled by his mouth. He slid his hands up her waist, feeling her soft skin slide against his fingertips. He pulled away successfully this time, staring her in the eyes.

"Sherry. I can't let you do this." He shook his head. "Please, you have to stop." His hands couldn't help but slide down to her butt, gripping it firmly as they slid off from the soap. She only kissed him harder before pressing her breasts to his face.  
"Make me stop, Jake." She whispered, her eyes at half hoods. "Show me that you want to stop this." She shook her head, "I'm through lying about us. I've had enough." She sighed, letting her eyes fall to his shoulders for a moment as she hesitated, trying to find the words. "Please, Jake." That was all she could say. "I want this." Jake pursed his lips. He frowned, looking away from her.

"I don't know if I want this." He shook his head. "I'm no good for you and you know it." He let his eyes rest on hers once more. "You know that, don't you? You've read my file. I've lied, cheated, killed. The list goes on. You deserve better." Sherry eyed him softly before placing another soft kiss on Jake's full lips.  
"I found better." She whispered into his ear as she kissed up his neck. "You are better than the man you used to be." She kissed his lips once more. "You deserve me, Jake and you can have me. Just say the word."

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Jake wrapped his arms around her and reached for a towel. He threw it around them and went to the bed. Sherry was a lady and he wasn't going to do her just anywhere, despite his raging hormones. Sherry held the towel with her hands around his neck, keeping them warm. She wrapped her legs around his waist as they kissed each other passionately, Jake stumbling to the bed. Their crashed to it without grace, the impact soon forgotten. She pushed him up and slid down the bed to the floor, on to her knees. "What are you doing?" He whispered as he watched her. He straightened to his full height with a gasp as her soft tongue flicked his the tip of his sex. "You don't have to." He shook his head. She looked up at him innocently.  
"I want to, Jake."

Sherry began to kiss his hips, suckling them softly. She kissed and licked him everywhere, from his chest to his knees, making his body pulse with desire. He found himself begging for release only to have her attack him passionately with her mouth and tongue. He threw his head back, stumbling to the wall for support, whimpering, his body under her control. He begged her to stop, trying not to thrust her but she kept on it. He ran his fingers gently through her hair, finding himself grasping her short locks as he cried out with pleasure. Again he begged her to stop, barely able to hold back. She complied this time, sliding her hands up his body to embrace him with a deep kiss.  
"Goddamn it, Sherry. I haven't been with a woman since our last time." He shook his head, looking her deeply in the eyes. Jake Muller, holding out for a woman? These things were new to him, so foreign. Sherry raised her eyebrow, mocking him with just that.  
"Did you miss me?" He hesitated, then nodded, speaking softly before he kissed her once more.  
"Hell yeah." He put a hand behind her neck, his other around the small of her back. She stumbled backwards with him to the bed, parting her legs for him to take her.

"Not yet." Jake whispered, falling to his knees. He devoured her sex, moaning with pleasure as he relished the moment, ravishing her with his tongue. He chuckled against Sherry's cries, eagerly returning the torture. She pleaded for the pleasure to end. He scooped her hips up into his hands and lifted them off the bed to dip his tongue deeper inside of her. Her hips shook as she rocked her pelvis up to his lips, pushing her feet into the mattress as she cried out in orgasm. He didn't stop there. He forced her tightening legs apart and continued to kiss and suckle her sex. Her body contorted as she found herself rolling to her side, grasping a pillow, her body no longer under her own control. She screamed as her sex soaked his face. He lapped her juices up happily, chuckling again and what only he could do to her.

Jake stepped away, leaving her to her own devices as he played with himself, watching her buck her hips in wanting. Sherry buried her face into the mattress, her loins aching with desire. She eyed his manhood and found herself licking his hips once more, tracing them with her fingers at the edge of the round bed. He looked her deeply in the eyes. She found herself rubbing against his manhood, taking in his scent, unable to resist as she tried to lick him again. He pulled himself back reluctantly from her touch. "How do you want me, super girl." He crawled onto the mattress, forcing her on to her back as he whispered in her ear.

Sherry kissed him deeply, pulling Jake on top of her with her legs over his back. He smiled as he broke the embrace, readying himself above her. She threw him off guard by rolling him over and mounting him. "Let me handle this." She smiled wickedly and pulled him to a sitting position. They moved near to the edge of the bed as she grabbed his manhood and guided herself on top of him. Jake eyed her with shock and wonder. He had never let a woman take control before. He didn't know Sherry was the type. He led his hands to the small of her back. They looked at each other with both hesitation and anticipation before sharing a mutual gasp of pleasure.

Sherry's body tensed as she whimpered, lowering herself onto Jake. She cried out a few times, adjusting to the pressure of him being full inside of her so quickly. He tried to steady his hips from bucking into her, to allow her to adjust but it was too hard. He kissed her to distract himself, only making it harder to hold back. They moaned into each other's lips as their bodies began to react, awkwardly at first then finding a natural, slow but strong rhythm. Sherry broke the kiss and threw her head back as Jake bucked her harder.

He bit her shoulder gently, suckling it. He wanted to mark her as his own, letting his kisses bruise her skin along her collar bone. She continued to cry out, whimpering against his touch, her body taking control again, robbing her of free will. He licked and kissed up her neck to her ear, pulling himself closer to the edge of the bed as he pressed his feet into the floor to meet her thrusts, to guide her body with his own.

His grunts and gasps only made her want him more, letting her body fall into his embrace as he supported her back. She stared into his eyes as she panted, her muscles tightening and relaxing against his. She slid her hands up his frame, feeling his tight muscles under her soft touch. She dug her fingers into his skin as he reached his hands down to her ass to lift her up off the bed.

Sherry swore several times as let her body embrace his. She swore into his ear, arousing him further with her vulgar words, begging Jake to fuck her harder. He pressed her up against the wall, allowing gravity to drop her onto his manhood as he pushed himself deeper and harder against her. They let themselves go, any embarrassment or pride had gone out the window as they gave into their passion, taking each other relentlessly as he pushed her up the wall. They were taking turns of domination as she challenged him to ride her through her orgasms then tried to make him submit to her body. Jake refused to submit. He was going to let her know what she missed when she decided to lie and say she didn't love him. He was going to punish her and make her suffer.

He led her back to the bed as she came down from the high of one of her orgasms. He swung her leg over his head, refusing to break contact, then pushed her to bend over it. She cried out as he kept depening the angle, scooping her hips up with one hand as he steadied himself on the bed with the other. "You lied to me, Sherry." He shook his head. "You said you didn't love me." He licked up her back, giving her body shivers. She grunted animalistically to his touch. He licked up her back to her neck as he rode her slow and hard. "You lied." He said it again. She dug her fingers into the sheets, tearing at them in her ecstasy. He pressed his body against her, forcing her against the mattress. She cried out in pain and pleasure as he pushed harder and faster.  
"I'm sorry." She stammered, biting down on a pillow to stifle her grunts and cries in between, screaming into it as he took her faster. He took her without mercy, letting himself go.

"You fuckin' lied, super girl. It's time to confess." He licked up her neck again. She arched her back in pleasure, pressing her breasts into the mattress, her ass in the air. "Come with me." He breathed the words through his teeth as he gritted them, barely able to hold back as he took her faster, pushing her ass further into the air. He placed the hand that was steadying himself onto her shoulder, tighting his arm around under her hips, sliding it down to rub her sex. "You robbed me of my pleasure last time." He smirked, a naughty twinkle in his eye. "Tease." He moaned, throwing his head back as he felt her tightening on his manhood. She cried out, throwing her head back, whimpering and screaming beneath him.

"Do you love me?" He whispered in her ear as he licked it. She cried out again, letting her body fall to the mattress.  
"Yes." She cried out, her eyes going wide. "Oh god, yes." She pressed her forearms against the bed, trying to get up, failing miserably as the pleasure threatened to throw her over the edge. "I always loved you." She whispered between her pants. Jake smiled with satisfaction. He thew her leg over his head, rolling her onto her back once more and took in her naked beauty one more time. He rocked himself into her hard, pulling out slowly, letting her cry out beneath him for release. He watched her as she blushed, unable to hide her pleasure. He chuckled softly, smiling at her as he released her thigh from his chest. He crawled up the bed and dove into her, wrapping his arms beneath her waist as he pushed his full weight into her.

She cried out in orgasm, pressing her body to his as she released herself. He joined her, letting himself go. Their bodies writhed uncontrollably in their passion, muffling each other's cries with a deep kiss, breaking it to breath. She screamed his name as he mumbled hers into her ear repeatedly like a prayer. He froze as his body released again inside of her, her orgasm letting him enjoy himself once more, then he rode gently to a halt, leaving himself deep inside of her. He pulled himself to the side, releasing his weight from on top of her, still cuddling her as their legs stayed entwined. They stared at each other for a good, long time, both smiling softly in the embrace but the haunting look of understanding remained in both their eyes as they let the silence claim the night.

***Lights a cigarette* Dayum!**

* * *

**"We're too far out we're in too deep, and we've got miles to go before we can sleep. I said, we've been walking a thin line. You've got one hand on the devil baby and one hand in mine but don't let go no it's not too late you know." Where We Belong, Thriving Ivory**

Jake and Sherry lay in an embrace, their legs entwined. He was still inside of her as they snuggled. Never once did he think he would be here again, entangled in her arms, no one to pull them away from each other this time. They continued to take each other through the night. Jake frowned. It wasn't fair. Sherry looked as fresh as a spring rose while his body ached, his manhood becoming sore from the vigorous lovemaking from the night before. He was sure the sun would be rising soon and they'd have to make their way out of here. Sherry smiled softly at him, her cheeks still flushed, sighing as her body still pulsed from their pleasure. She stretched out her arms and stared at the ceiling. Jake pulled the blankets up around them, kissing her neck softly.

Their words from the night before still echoed in Sherry's ear. She had hurt him when she rejected him. She had lied and said she didn't love him, only to embrace him once more. None of it mattered now. They both lied so many times, trying to protect each other, fighting the inevitable. He had pleaded with her to stop and she pushed him into submission. She pushed him to let go and embrace her. She noticed the guilt on his face every time they made love. He felt unworthy of her. The fact of their reality still bothered both of them. One thing freed her shoulders of a heavy burden. The admission that she always loved him.

He eyed the bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet he had given her at the death of their human embryo, their failed pregnancy. She still wore the little chain and locket, their pictures within. It wasn't a reminder of death. It was a reminder of the love they shared, the hope for the future, their future. "Sherry." He whispered, kissing her wrist. He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry I left you." She rolled her head to meet him face to face, their noses touching as they shared each other's breaths. The memory of finding that note still tore at her heart. Her eyes teared slightly but she held the emotions in. He could read it on her face. "I'm so sorry." He whispered it again, stroking her face gently.

Sherry leaned in and gave him a sweet kiss, parting his full lips as she placed hers between them, suckling his lower lip.  
"It's okay." She whispered. "I know you did it to protect me." He nodded gently. She sighed, "That's why I pushed you away, too." She wrapped her arms around his neck with a sigh. "What are we fighting for, Jake?" She closed her eyes. "Everyone's future? Or should I be selfish and just fight for ours." He watched her silently for a few moments, lost in her sad eyes.  
"Sherry, maybe it's best if we fight for our freedom. The world would be better off if we layed low, dropped off the face of the Earth." He shook his head gently, closing his eyes. "Let people think we are dead. Maybe they will stop chasing us, using us to make viruses and B.O.W.s." He lost himself in her eyes once more. She nodded at him.

She began to kiss him softly once more, speaking between her kisses. "I know we won't make the ideal family but we turned out okay." She smiled softly at him. He nodded in return. "I can still make pancakes on a Sunday morning. At least our children won't be subjected to torture." Jake nodded once more, thinking of their future, adding to her vision.  
"Diplomat's kids travel all the time. We can settle in small towns, move when we need to. We can even take up bounty hunting for terrorists or B.O.W.s once if clear our names." Sherry shook her head no.  
"Jake, they will never let me go. If you chose to want me, we have to either lay low or submit to you being in the DSO." She shook her head, "I would never allow our children to be taken into custody." She closed her eyes as they filled with tears. He gave her a hug. "Never." She repeated it. He smiled softly, breathing in her scent as he buried his head against her shoulder.  
"With my blood, they may not be freaks like us." He shook his head. "They have a chance, super girl." She shook her head again.  
"Someone will always want your blood, even without my virus. Our children will be seen perfect weapons." She began to cry once more. He pulled her away and stared into her eyes.  
"Stop thinking like that, Sherry. We have to keep fighting. 'Never give up, no matter the odds.' That's what your said to me. It opened my eyes." He kissed her softly. "You are so much stronger than I am, more than you know."

He reached over to the nightstand and pulled his 909, loading and cocking it. He inspected it, not wanting to leave her side. "Sherry." He whispered, "We have to get going." She pushed his hand away, making him put his weapon back down. She rolled herself ontop of him, kissing him passionately as she pinned his hands to the bed.  
"Not yet." She whispered into his ear, kissing his neck, "Please. One last time." She began to suckle his ear lobe, biting it gently with her teeth. Jake smiled softly, wincing in pain slightly as she straddled him. He was sore but there was no way he would ever say no again.  
"Fine, super girl. Just be gentle this time, will ya?" He shook his head, "I don't have that healing factor of yours." He kissed her softly, then stared into her eyes. "You're gonna be the end of me."

After a sexy, romantic romp in the bedroom that carried over into a steamy shower, the pair began to ready themselves to leave. Over 24 hours had passed. Sherry was now taking oral antibiotics and well onto the road of recovery. They took any weapons and supplies they could safely carry and stuffed them into Duffel bags. "How convenient." Sherry smiled. Jake chuckled. It was a safe house for a mobster after all. Jake smiled.  
"Yeah, this is the easy part. Not the norm for a zombie apocalypse." He shook his head, "The shit part is avoiding the BSAA. We gotta blend in with all of this shit." Sherry nodded. A bag each would be passable. Hopefully the BSAA would be too busy to notice them. The less gun fire, the better. Sherry carried the lightest items. Jake carried the heaviest. They had an even share of food and weapons just in case they needed to split up, god forbid.

The plan for now? Head to Edonia, hide out for as long as possible in the mountains. Try to settle into a small town without being noticed. They set meeting points along the way, in case of separation. The plan was simple enough if it wasn't for the snowstorms and icy weather. They took out their combat knives and waited in the elevator, ready for the worst. The zombies had built up overnight. Jake used every secret route he knew, every area he had covered the day before had been overrun. "Not as bad as I expected." He frowned as he kicked some heads in, Sherry keeping pace with him as they cleared a path. One grabbed Jake and nearly bit him. Sherry shrieked his name and stabbed it. Jake just brushed his sleeve where the zombie was. "Damn these fuckers are fast."

Sherry was still thinking of the future. She was actually going to do what she wanted to since she was first taken. She was no longer the scared little girl, manipulated by Simmons. She had been on missions alone besides the ones where she ran into Jake. She gained enough trust to get away. Only one thing plagued her mind. Leon. She didn't want him to be in trouble. She had already blown her mission here, despite Jake recovering it. She would send her report before leaving Russia, then disappear from sight. This whole investigation baffled her anyways. If Helena Harper, Leon's partner, was cleared from any fault for being directly involved with Simmons, why was Sherry and Jake being pursued?

Sherry had been a victim, her daily blood tests used for experimentation. Her limits pushed to perfect the C-Virus and J'avo. Jake's blood was taken to enhance it. The whole situation was unfair, their innocence proven. If Jake had been involved with Dimitri years before, why was it not excused from his record? Being a Wesker certainly had perks of not being trusted. They were lucky Chris had helped them. At least she hoped they weren't turned in. Knowing Chris, he could have arrested Jake then and there, just like in Edonia but he didn't. He probably didn't believe any of the bullshit investigation.

"C'mon, super girl. Keep up!" Jake broke through her thoughts. "We'll be okay." He smiled softly, "...but only if you stay focused." She gave a sharp nod and continued on. "Don't get sloppy, babe." He covered her back, taking out a few more zombies, double knives in hand. The knives they had were obviously military issue, having four finger holes in the hilt. They were excellent for zombie slaying, easy to pull out. Jake would have even taken a hammer at any point but he loved these new toys. Sherry could see the amusement in his eyes.  
"You really do enjoy this, don't you." He paused for a moment, catching his breath as she covered him. His face became serious.  
"Why do you ask?" He rolled his eyes and looked away, scoffing when she didn't answer. He hunched over on his knees, rubbing his shoulder that was still sore from a few days before. "Sherry, besides money, you gotta have something that keeps you in the job. Don't tell me Jarhead doesn't get a kick out of the adrenalin high!" She stabbed a zombie with a grunt, giving him a frown afterwards. She was now panting beside him. "C'mon, super girl." He smiled softly. "Don't you?" Sherry shook her head no, turning away from him.  
"I didn't grow up like you, Jake. I made myself numb to my own pain, my torture, my loneliness. I don't enjoy inflicting it on others." She shook her head again, "I can do what I must but it doesn't mean I like it." She stabbed another zombie along side Jake, covering each other as they entered another room.  
"I... I'm sorry, super girl. I didn't mean..."

"If you really want to know?" She cut him off, "Their sorry excuse for keeping me, I mean. It's not that they see me as just a B.O.W. They were protecting me from your father." Jake narrowed his eyes, pondering her words. He stayed quiet as they continued to kill. "They thought he would use my virus to make more weapons." She shrugged. "Sadly, it was Simmons that did it all along." Jake sighed.  
"Well, you weren't better off with my dear old dad, that's for sure. I heard about Liz. How they wanted to turn you into something like her." Sherry nodded.  
"Yeah, well they had Manuela in custody as well. They couldn't abuse her though. She'd combust on them." Sherry took another break and rubbed her hands together. The room was freezing cold. Jake could see the sad expression on her face, the haunting look in her eyes.  
"C'mere." He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "We'll be fine. I promise." She looked deeply into his eyes, the sincerity comforting her. She nodded softly with a faint smile.

They opened the next door, the main club. They would have to go through this room to get outside. It was overrun. "Fuck!" Jake shouted. He tried to slam the door shut but there were just too many of them. They double back the way they came, avoiding any zombies they had left behind. Jake grabbed Sherry's hand as they weaved in and out of the crowd. "Don't drag your feet!" He shouted, scooping her up by the waist and into his arms. They made their way into the kitchen. "Fuck." He shouted again. The kitchen doors were locked. He took out a shot gun and unloaded on the locks.  
"Drop the weapon!" A voice came from behind, footsteps flooding the room. "Don't move!" Jake and Sherry turned to face a room of BSAA. Jake groaned.  
"Well, fuck me." He sighed deeply, "If it isn't Captain Buzzkillington."

* * *

**"Each day's a gift and not a given right. Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind and try to take the path less traveled by. That first step you take is the longest stride. Against the grain should be a way of life. What's worth the prize is always worth the fight. If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late could you say goodbye to yesterday?" If Today Was Your Last Day, Nickleback**

Jake eyed the woman from top to bottom. She had brown hair and the palest blue eyes. Her skin porcelain white. Blonde roots poked out around her hairline. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail. She wore no helmet, identifying her as an officer. She had pretty, large shallow set eyes that stared down at Jake. He was surprised a girl like her was a BSAA officer with her petite frame no larger than Sherry. Her 909 Glock handgun was drawn on him specifically. She seemed to stare right past Sherry at Jake. Jake pointed at her, shaking his head. "You know, I had a feeling this shit would happen. How come it couldn't be Redfield?" For once Jake would have been happy to see Chris. It would be the third time he got off easily.

Sherry looked between the two, stepping slowly in front of Jake, her hands in the air. "Agent Sherry Birkin, National Defense." The Captain's gaze did not waver.  
"And your defendant is Jake Muller?" Her eyes narrowed at Jake. She put a hand on her hip, pointing her magnum at Jake with a sense of ease.  
"Is it already February 14th?" Jake cocked his head. "I'm sure it's a lil early for Valentines, Jill." She chuckled at his joke.  
"I see you're still a wise ass." She took the safety off of her gun. "Had I known in Brazil that you were his son." Her eyes burned with hatred for Jake. He just shrugged at her, crossing his arms.  
"You and me both, babe. Wish I was there to see dear old dad off to his grave." He tsked at her. "I'm sure you had that pleasure though. She shook her head.  
"Pleasure? After what he did to me? No. I watched with a sense of relief." She continued to stare him down. "The world is much better off without trash like you." Jake's gaze narrowed.  
"Didn't even know the man." Jill smiled.  
"Well, you're luckier than me."

Sherry stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation. "I have a protection order. Mr. Muller is a key witness in my investigation of the new virus."  
"I know your orders." Jill cut Sherry off coldly, her gaze finally meeting Sherry's for a moment before floating back to Jake. "I also know I'm not going to be as forgiving as my partner." She watched Jake, expecting him to try to get away. She hesitated as she studied him. Sherry spoke up again.  
"He's the only one who knows the suspects, one of which is dead! You can't have him."

"Your little DEA mission is outranked by mine, Agent Birkin. The only reason Muller was allowed to leave is because we put surveillance on him. You were presumed kidnapped by FOS." Sherry shook her head.  
"I'm fine now. I need to get him to safety before..."  
"Show me your order." Jill cut her off sharply. Sherry shook her head softly, dropping her jaw.  
"I was supposed to pick it up at the embassy but it was overrun. Please," she pleaded, "I'm going to take out my phone and contact my supervisor."  
"You have three minutes." She gestured for Sherry to come to her. "He stays here. You go to the hall. I understand your agency's confidentiality." Sherry nodded and pulled out her phone, walking past Jill. Jill put her hand out across Sherry's chest, stopping her. They snapped their heads to face each other. "Leave your weapons and supplies." Jill pulled the duffel bag away and handed it to one of her soldiers. She took the handgun next, placing it in her own holster. "Thanks. Let them know you are in the custody of Jill Valentine."

Sherry could hear Jake mocking Valentine from around the corner but had to focus on setting him free. She heard Jake cry out and the sound of handcuffs being clicked while she waited for Hunnigan to connect her directly to Leon. "Leon! I know how the virus spreads, I know how much triggers a reaction. I know who is connected to it. The problem is, we're in custody of Jill Valentine of the BSAA. She believes that Jake is a terrorist and she knew his father. Yes." She waited, listening to his words. Her eyes widened, "But we need that protection order! It's the only way." He asked what evidence she had. "Yes. A ring. Like Simmon's ring. Exactly like the one you found when investigating Simmons." She sighed, looking around as she paced in desperation. "Goddamn it, there's no time!" She pursed her lips, clasping a hand over her heart. Jake cried out once more. A lump swelled in her throat. "Okay, I understand. Yes, I'll surrender, for now. Please, Leon. I'm begging you." Another lecture. "Okay. I'll try to wait it out. Only if they let me follow him everywhere." Leon promised to negotiate a deal. "Thank you, Leon." Sherry pocketed her phone and rushed back around the corner.

Jake was handcuffed by a large gentleman who stood over him. He pushed Jake to the ground with Jake's bad shoulder. Jake bared his teeth, his eyes ablaze with anger. "Jake!" Sherry cried out. "What happened?" She looked between Jill and her obvious partner who stood behind Jake. He was a tall man around Chris Redfield's age. He was easily twice Jake's size in muscle. He had shaggy brown hair and tanned skin and spoke with an Italian accent.  
"Your little friend here thinks he's a comedian." He smiled still looking at Jake, holding a gun to Jake's head. "He's not so funny, though."  
"Yeah," Jake cocked his head with a smile, wincing against the pain. "GI Jane doesn't like being teased. She's a bigger bitch than I remember." Parker pulled back on Jake's arms with his foot on the handcuff's chains. "Fuck you!" Jake growled as he was forced to the floor.  
"Your protection order?" Jill raised her brow. Sherry shook her head.  
"Working on that. There seems to be some complications." Sherry crossed her arms as she approached Jill. "I'm willing to share classified information in exchange for his release." Jill smiled softly then shook her head.  
"No. I'll have to bring him in." She touched her earpiece and began to report in before Sherry could protest. "Parker." She looked over at her partner. "Let him up." Parker pulled jake to his feet. Jill made a gesture to the rest of her crew. "You guys continue to clear the area. We're heading out with the perpetrator."  
"Perp?" Sherry argued. She put her hands to her side, shaking her head. "I thought it was clear that..."  
"Evidence?"  
"Jake has all the evidence I have! He is all the evidence I have! If you take him now, months of investigation..."

The two were caught off guard by the sound of a scuffle between Jake and Parker. Parker was holding the serpent ring and the bag of red powder. He dropped them as his hands went to his neck. Jill drew her weapon but Jake was hiding behind the much larger man he took hostage. Jake had slipped his feet through the cuffs and now had the chain around Parker's neck, his palms pushed against Parker's head to protect himself from being shot off. He dragged Parker into a corner, protecting himself.

"Let him go!" Both women shouted at Jake. Sherry pulled her handgun from Jill's holster and pointed it at Parker. She removed her safety. Jill stared at her from the corner of her eyes.  
"What the hell are you doing, Birkin?" Sherry stepped between Jill and Jake again.  
"Trying to stop this! This is insane!" She shook her head. "My agency was infiltrated by the Family to kill Jake and use his blood for experiments. That was already investigated. Why the hell are you after him? He has nothing to do with his father and I won't let you turn him into an experiment!" Her eyes landed on Jake, still choking Parker, whose face was bright red. "Jake, let him go!"  
"No can do, sugar pie!" He pulled the cuffs tighter.  
"Goddamn it, Birkin! His father made me an experiment for years! I almost lost my humanity to him!"  
"And I was a guinea pig since I was twelve for the US government because they thought I'd fall into Wesker's hands! Only for Simmons to make a virus from my own body!" Sherry put her hand on Jill's gun, pleading for her to put it down. Jill let her eyes fall on Sherry for a moment.

In one swift movement. Parker was launched by Jake into Jill. Jake had taken Parker's 909 Glock into his hands, as well as the keys to the cuffs. He dove over Parker and Jill to Sherry and rolled on the floor with her towards a window. He rolled to his feet, one arm around Sherry's neck, the Glock to her head, cuffs off of his wrists. "Hey assholes, throw the bags out the window, now." He removed the safety off the weapon with a smirk and a chuckle. "C'mon. I don't have all fuckin' day." Jill laughed as she got to her feet.  
"Oh, really? Now you're being funny." She cocked her head with a smile, one hand on her hip, the other on her magnum. She shot past Jake's ear with it, regaining her aim quickly after the recoil. She walked right up to Jake and put the magnum on Sherry's head. "You aren't going to do a damn thing." Jake didn't take his eyes off of her, freezing in his position. Sherry panted lightly, trying to hold her fear in.

"I saw the evidence, the files..." Jill smiled, "The incriminating pictures..." She chuckled, "I'm never this mean but it is a Wesker we're talking about here. The son of my traitor for a boss, an umbrella executive." Sherry closed her eyes as Jill went on. "No wonder you didn't get the protective order. Complications indeed. Looks like you compromised more than a mission, Birkin."  
"Jill." Parker spoke up, "This isn't right." He shook his head, "What has gotten into you, bella mia?" Jill touched her headpiece again.  
"Negative, Chris. They're coming with me." She narrowed her gaze. "Goddamn it, Chris!" Jake slapped the magnum away and leaped backwards through the window, dragging Sherry with him into a swan dive. Sherry shrieked on the way down. Jill and Parker grabbed the windowsil, searching for the pair. "There!" Jill pointed. She touched her headset again. "Target has escaped. In pursuit!" She threw her legs over the windowsil and dropped down, not caring if Parker followed. "I'm not letting a Wesker escape! Not again!"

Jake and Sherry ran, taking out anything in their way, trying to avoid the BSAA. They came to the parking garage. Jake patted down his pockets. "For fucks sake!" He yelled, "They took the fuckin' ring!" Sherry pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to him, along with the evidence packet. He gave her a quick, spicy kiss. "What would I do without you, woman!" He shoved the ring up to the scanner and ran inside, slamming the door shut before Jill made her way in. Jake laughed at the sound of Jill pounding on the door. He heard her shooting the scanner outside. "Howdya like them apples, bitch!"  
"Jake!" Sherry tugged at his arm. He turned to look at her. She pressed her hand to his cheek. "Who is she to you?"  
"Valentine?" He shrugged, "BSAA bitch that arrested me in South America a few years back." He paced the garage, looking for a suitable vehicle before Jill called in pyrotechnics. "Remember the story about my scar? Yeah, well the BSAA got involved somewhere near the end of the fight. The bitch arrested me but had to let me go." He hopped onto a bike. "Sucks to be her!" He padded the back seat. "You comin? Or did you change your mind?"  
"Sherry eyed the seat and Jake. Here she was defying orders for him again. This was it, the point of no return. She nodded her head and got on, hugging him closely. He revved the engine and rolled up to the scanner with the ring, slipping it onto his finger. He gave Sherry's hand a kiss, then scanned the ring. He put his hands on the handles as the garage door rolled up. "Time to ride or die, super girl."

* * *

**"Loneliness gets so old. I'm in the lost and found sitting on the shelf. Been stuck for way too long but I hear your voice. You're who I'm counting on. Tell me you're here, that you will watch over me forever. Take hold of my heart, show me you'll love me forever. Been fighting way too long but I hear your voice. You had me all along. When I'm starting to drown you jump in to save me. When my world's upside down, your hands, they shake me and wake me." Forever, Fireflight**

Jake revved the bike to the front of the garage, just to be rushed by Jill. He dipped the bike to the side, swinging it to slide through the doorway. Too late. Jill shot both tires with her magnum, the bike flying towards her. She leaped right over it. Sherry and Jake found themselves hurtling through the air with the bike, first forwards then flying backwards into the garage as the bike exploded. Jake wrapped himself around Sherry, protecting her as they rolled towards a pillar. He twisted last second to take the full impact of the column with his back. They both smashed their heads on the floor. Jill approached, reloading her magnum as she stared down at Jake. He pulled his gun out with his bad arm, his aim wavering as his body resisted him, fighting off the pain. He shot a glance at Sherry, her head nestled in his hand. "Wake up, super girl." He whispered. All she managed was a soft groan. Jake fainted, his gun falling to the floor. Sherry awoke to see Jill aiming for Jake's head.

"No!"

She jumped up and wrestled Jill's arm, the magnum shot going straight through Sherry's shoulder. She fell backwards, pulling Jill down with her as they wrestled over Jake's body. Sherry tucked her feet up and kicked Jill off, grabbing Jake's gun. She held her shoulder, resisting the urge to writhe in pain, her shoulder repairing itself, flesh and bone rearranging and meshing together. She cried out, closing one eye as she fought her body to focus on Jill. Sherry stretched out to guard Jake with her own body, knowing the magnum would pierce them both. "You want him? Then you have to kill me, too!" She whimpered again, her shoulder still mending. "Just know the only hope for curing future viruses goes with him."

"So..." Jill softened her voice, "You weren't kidding about being experimented on." She dropped her gun and put it into her holster. Her parter, Parker, jogged to join them. "I was experimented on by his father. He kept me alive to breed antibodies while he perfected a new parasitic virus and to keep his own mutated body from destroying itself." She narrowed her eyes. "It's hard to believe he isn't like his father, from his file." She looked away at her partner, "God knows who he would have sold his blood to if you weren't sent to find him during the initial C-Virus outbreaks." Sherry rose to her feet, anger brewing inside her as she tried to keep her calm.

"Is that all you think of us as? Monsters?" She shook her head, "He never even knew his father. If it wasn't for Wesker's negligence, his mother would still be alive! He would have never become a mercenary if it wasn't for her poor health." She softened her rage, looking at the unconscious Jake. "She died during his first mission. The money didn't reach her in time to cure her." Jill turned away.  
"I'm... I'm sorry..." Sherry eyed her belt.

"Please, give me your flashlight." Sherry extended her hand. Jill accepted and handing it to her. Sherry checked Jake's vitals. He mumbled incoherently. She opened Jake's eyes one at a time, shining the light. "It's easily a concussion. We're have a hard time since this outbreak started."  
"Jill!" A familiar voice drew everyone's attention. Chris Redfield. "Thank god! I thought I was too late!" He brought Dr. Chambers with him and a handful of BSAA personnel. They brought a stretcher for Jake. Sherry pushed them back, throwing herself on Jake, protecting him as she drew her gun once more.

"You aren't taking him anywhere!" She slipped off the serpent ring and took the plastic bag with the red powder in it. "Here. This is what you want, isn't it? Along with the names of the..." A loud shriek interrupted her. She dashed for the burning motorcycle and took the keys. The BSAA opened fire with their weapons at Nastasia, flying full force towards them.  
"Don't breathe in the powder!" Sherry yelled as she got into a vehicle and drove it straight towards Nastasia, pinning her with it. Nastasia laughed, clawing her way out from the vehicle.  
"Who knew what I needed to stabilize the virus was laying in my bed for so long." Sherry go out of the vehicle and jumped to hold down Nastasia's tail.  
"Now! In the head!" Jill put her magnum to Nastasia, emptying it in her head. Nastasia burst into flames and burned to ash within seconds. Sherry rose to her feet. "That was close. She has a poison tail. Turns you instantly."

"What other information do you have?" Chris caught Sherry as she went to fall. "Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine, just, light headed from the accident." She looked at the medics loading Jake again and pulled her gun. Chris squeezed her wrist.  
"Let them do their job! Neither of you are in the condition to go anywhere." She wanted to punch Chris, take his weapon, kill everybody. She's do anything to save Jake. She pushed Chris away and fought pulled the attendants off of him.  
"Don't touch him!" She scooped Jake into her arm, cradling his head against her chest. "I won't let you take him. I won't let that bitch turn him into a guinea pig." She shook her head, tears falling freely. "Wake up Jake, please!" She whispered into his ear, not a whimper coming from his lips now.  
"Sherry. I already told Jake. I'm conducting my own investigation. If the UN wants him, they have to do their own dirty work. That's why the BSAA is independent to any country or organisation."  
She looked left and right, debating his words before releasing Jake to the physicians. "What are you going to do with us?"  
"For now?" He nodded, "We're going to get your two fixed up, let you both have time to rest. We need all the information Jake has to stop this thing and that's not going to happen if he dies." Sherry nodded in agreement while Chris helped her up. She rubbed her shoulder, her jacket and thermal suit torn open from the magnum's blast. "Looks like your arm is healed up. How about a little rest?" She nodded once more. Another of Dr. Chamber's staff came to help her out and she brushed them off.  
"I said I'm fine!" She jogged to catch up to the stretcher, putting her hands on it for them to stop as she called to Chris. "I have one condition for this!" Chris smiled softly, understanding Sherry was in no condition to ask for anything.  
"Go ahead."  
"The DSO is told that Jake is missing. They already have no choice but to hand him over. I won't let anything happen to him, not until I prove his innocence."  
"Understood." Chris gave a nod to the staff to continue. She held onto the cart again.

"I'm not finished!" Sherry closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "You need to watch over us personally, then release us somewhere safe so I can clear our names." Parker and Jill were now staring at Chris. Jill had every right to deny that request but respected that Chris was the one who knew them best. "We will deal with this on the chopper. I will join you two myself." Sherry nodded and let them take Jake away but never out of her sight.

Sherry crossed her arms, pressing her back to the seat of the helicopter. She stared at her feet, waiting for updates on Jake's condition. On either side of her was Jill and Parker. Across from her was Chris and Dr. Rebecca Chambers. "Rebecca, what's his status?" She shook her head lightly.  
"I've never worked on someone like him before so I'm not sure when he will wake up. He has a shoulder injury, a few days old. That's on the mend. He definitely has a concussion but it looks like it's under control. We gave him medication to keep the swelling down. I had to run a drainage tube for the swelling on his brain.  
"What?" Sherry snapped her head up. "Is he... Is he going to make it?" Chambers shook her head.  
"As a doctor I'm supposed to tell you the worst case scenario. He's stable for now but..." Sherry stuck out her arm.  
"My blood. He needs my blood. It's worked before!" Dr. Chambers looked at Chris and Jill for authorization as Sherry rolled up her sleeve. "Please!" Her large grey-blue eyes pleaded with Chris. He nodded, giving Dr. Chambers the authority. She disappeared behind the curtain and came back with a hypodermic.  
"Now, just hold still. You'll feel a pinch." Sherry rolled her eyes.  
"I could practically do it for you at this point." She sighed and rolled her sleeve back up before a band-aid could be placed. "It's already healed anyways." She wrapped her arms around her body, pulling her feet up on the seat. She turned her face towards the window, trying to get lost in the view.

"Sherry." Chris called her. "I'm sorry for the security procedures."  
"It's fine." She whispered, "Besides, the only place I'm going, is with him." She pulled out her phone, one arm still wrapped around her waist and tapped a string of text for an email, CC'd to Chris Redfield. She sent her report to Leon. "Jake Muller MIA after single vehicular accident. Motorcycle exploded. Presumed dead by BSAA. Suspects Dimitriu and Nastasia of the Family, confirmed dead. Only known source of the P-Virus is the wings of Nastasia's mutated state. No other new information at this moment." She turned off her phone. Chris recieved the email.  
"Sherry?" She turned slowly to face him, her eyes drifting from the floor to his phone, hesitant to meet his gaze. "Sherry, I'll accept this as the report but I need to know everything about this virus. She nodded softly, pausing before she began. She straightened herself in her seat, her feet finding the floor, crossed at the ankles as she placed her hands in her lap like a lady.

"The P-Virus, or Powder Parasite virus is similar to the Uroboros virus and Las Plagas. It's a small cystic species combined with the C-Virus and progenerator, creating an instantaneous effect in small quantities. It can be inhaled or injected, producing the same effects." She sighed, staring at her feet. "Like the G-Virus, it can reproduce itself, taking the queen mentality of the Las Plagas and uroburos." All eyes were on her. Sherry hated to be on the spot. She rubbed her arm where she was shot, rolling her shoulder as she stared at her hands. "The cysts need to be kept below human body temperature to survive. Once in the human body, most of them die off quickly, releasing a neurotoxin that produces a high stronger than most drugs on the streets today, with none of the withdrawl effects but all of the addiction. When given over the safest minimum dose, the chances of survival are higher. It only needs one cyst to mature to create the zombies we saw today."

"And the queen?" Jill asked this time. Sherry shook her head.  
"I don't know. I'm assuming it was Nastasia. Jake didn't even know she was involved." She played with the tiny bracelet on her hand, twisting the chain between her fingers. She stared towards the curtain, hearing Jake mumble. "Is he going to be okay? Did my blood work?"  
"Dr. Chambers is doing her best, Sherry. You know these things take time." Chris smiled softly with empathy. Sherry shook her head softly.  
"Sorry. I'm so used to just being okay right after these things. I hate to see others suffer. Especially..." She trailed off, unable to remove her gaze from curtain.  
"That's easily understood." Chris nodded at her. "Sherry, do you know the names of the deceased suspects?" She shook her head.

"All I know is that one is a Russian mob head, Dimitrius. His family owned that club before it went to him. He's around Jake's age. Jake said he wasn't a friend, just a former client." She paused for a moment before continuing. "The queen, Nastasia, Jake never knew her real name or where she came from. She's a stripper or a prostitute." She frowned, returning her gaze to her feet. It was obvious that statement hurt her deeply. "He never specified which one. I just know she worked at the club for a long time. She was Dimitri's mistress... and Jake's ex-girlfriend." Chris nodded.  
"I see."  
"Yeah. I already passed that on to Leon earlier." She looked up at Chris and turned off her phone. "I need to drop off the face of the Earth until this is solved and fast. I think it has to do with the phony investigation the UN has on Jake."  
"I'm not supposed to say," Chris hesitated, looking at Jill, "but you're absolutely right. It has everything to do with this." Sherry nodded.

"I compromised my mission by saving Jake. I'm the last person they would put on Protective Detail with him." She pursed her lips, thinking of what other incriminating, personal pictures were taken of them. "The truth is, I'm the only one he can trust, the only one who can keep him safe." Chris nodded.  
"Yeah, we've had a mole in our place before. Happens everywhere."  
"So are you going to let us go?" She begged again. Chris looked towards Jill. "Please, Chris." She dropped her jaw to say more, shaking her head lightly but nothing came out. She finally found the words. "Only you can help us. The world is better off with us dropping off of it. We're going to be hunted for the rest of our lives!" A groan came from behind the curtain followed by the sound of equipment being knocked over.

"Do you people ever shut up? Are you seriously trying to piss me off?" Another groan.  
"Sir, please stay still. We're trying to help you!" Someone argued with him.  
"Get the fuck off me!" Jake yelled back. Dr. Chambers piped up.  
"Strap him down!" She grunted, "Don't dare touch your I.V." Jake threw back the curtain and stumbled into the main room of the chopper. He plunked himself down on a seat at the end.  
"What's this hoedown about?" He looked around, his hand on his head. "Did anyone get the number of the truck that hit me?"

"Jake!" Sherry ran to him and threw her hands around him. She planted a kiss on his lips but he just pushed her away. She fell to the floor with a thud, her eyes wide with confusion and fear.  
"Easy, there, snowflake. Just who the fuck are all you people and where am I?" He grabbed his head and dropped to his knees. "Goddamn it... my head." He looked around. "When is this room going to stop spinning? I'm sure this isn't a hangover?" Dr. Chambers ran from behind the curtain and injected something into his shoulder. Jake cried out, trying to push her away, then he fell to the floor in a heap, Sherry jumping forward to protect his head and Dr. Chambers grabbed him under his arms.  
"That should hold him." She called for her team to assist in bringing him back to the table.  
"What's wrong with him!" Sherry cried out as her slipped from her fingertips, unable to find her feet beneath her to follow.

"It's the concussion." Dr. Chambers sighed. "Looks like it's had some repercussions. Sherry shook her head.  
"He didn't even..." She dropped her face into her hands and began to cry, not caring who saw her in this state. Rebecca threw her hands around her, stroking her hair gently. "He will be okay physically. I'm doing my best, I promise!" She stared into Sherry's eyes, "Right now, you need to focus on getting some rest. I don't need another patient on my hands, okay?" Sherry nodded softly, trying to get a grip on herself.  
"Sherry, once Jake recovers, I'll set you guys up in Alaska, outside of a BSSA base. That way I can keep an eye on you two." She wiped her tears.  
"Okay, Chris."  
"In the mean time, just try to keep it together. You are right, you're the only one he'd allow to keep him safe, memories or no memories. If you want his freedom, you're going to have to help him remember." She nodded again, her eyes resting on the curtain. Chris picked her up off the floor and put her to lay on one of the benches, no longer supervised. He handed her a pillow and a blanket. "Please, get some rest."


	19. A life less ordinary pt 1 of x

**Book 9: A Life Less Ordinary (Resident Evil 6.5)**

**1 Chapter 1 Adventure/Tragedy - Jake's Prequel, "Just a Poor Boy" Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(  
****2 Chapter 2 Adventure/Romance - Resident Evil 6, Jake's campaign "I'm Looking for a Savior" ****Re-writing over-written chapters. Oopse :(**  
**3 Chapter 3-4 Romance/Drama Post-RE6 Romance, "Three Days Grace" Complete  
****4 Chapter 5-7 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Tragedy Post-RE6, "A New Purpose: Operation Orphan" Complete  
****5 Chapter 8-10 Romance/Drama/Adventure/Hurt/Comfort, "Child of the Chrysalis: The Hunger Within" Complete  
****6 Chapter 11-12 Adventure/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance, "Broken Glass" Complete  
****7 Chapter 13-15 Adventure/Drama/Romance/Hurt/Comfort, "A Complicated Life" Complete  
****8 Chapter 16-18 Adventure/Drama/Romance, "Save the World Tomorrow" Complete  
****9 Chapter 19+ Adventure/Drama/Romance, "A Life Less Ordinary: Resident Evil 6.5" In progress**

* * *

**"I don't know where I'm at. I'm standing at the back and I'm tired of waiting. Waiting here in line hoping that ill find what I've been chasing. I shot for the sky, I'm stuck on the ground. So why do I try? I know I'm gonna fall down. I thought I could fly so why did I drown. I never know why its coming down. ****I'm not ready to let go and I do'nt want to hear that sound of losing what I never found." Down, Jason Walker**

A woman hopped off of the small passenger plane. She made it before the snowstorm started outside. It was spring in North America but Alaska was still bitterly cold. She stepped out of the plane, into the hangar of the BSAA. She was happy to pull off her hat and scarf, dropping her jacket to the ground. She adjusted her white turtleneck and red skirt over her black thermal suit. "Chris!" She ran to her brother, her bright blue eyes twinkling with nostalgia. She hugged him tightly, then punched him in the arm. "You big oaf! I thought you were going to spend some time with me in Russia to do the cleanup!" She pushed her finger into his chest, "You are so lucky that was an easy one." He chuckled softly at his sister. She made up in personality what she lacked in height. "I'm so going to kick your ass!" She winked at him and turned away, looking around the hanger. "Where's my homegirl?" She looked past Chris to the doorway to see Sherry. Sherry hesitated, looking around sadly as Claire ran to her.

"Sherry?" She ran up to the petite blonde and gave her a big hug. "God, what's wrong with you, girl?" Sherry said nothing, releasing her tears into her "big sister's" shoulder, unable to find any words. "Oh god," Claire hugged her tighter. "I heard about Jake." She forced Sherry to look into her eyes. "You aren't okay, are you?" Sherry shook her head no.  
"I have to be though, for him." She lifted her gaze to Claire, "I thought we were finally free... Then..." She began to cry again. "I thought I could hold it all in, keep my pain to myself but... It's so hard when you love someone who no longer knows you exist..." Claire tugged her close once more and hugged her again, whispering in Sherry's ear as she hugged her. "It's okay, Sherry. I'm here for you now. At least he's alive." Sherry nodded.

Claire always visited her whenever she could while Sherry was imprisoned for "her own protection." She was the one that kept Sherry sane and human. Sherry learned from Claire's compassion. She learned to look past people's faults and see what was really going on in their lives. If it wasn't for Claire, Sherry would have hated the world, just like Jake when she met him. She wouldn't have cared if he came in dead or alive. She wasn't a cold-hearted bitch like Simmons wanted her to be. That's what kept her alive so long, the hope of coming out of everything alive, to have the will to live beyond survival.

"He doesn't even know me Claire. He doesn't know who he is. They are releasing him today."  
"Well, that's why I'm here." Claire gently squeezed Sherry's shoulder. Chris came up to join them as they headed to Jake's room in the medical ward. Chris began to fill them in on the current agenda.  
"We've agreed to release Jake into Sherry's custody. We finally got her that protection order, despite what Mrs. Jenkins of the UN tried to do. We're giving him a new identity because of the cluster headaches he gets whenever a memory is triggered." He sighed, "It's up to him to remember. Until then, the P-Virus case remains open." They rounded a few corners as he continued until they came to the door. "There have been no other outbreaks and distribution has stopped worldwide as far as we know." He watched the two women before him as they hugged once again. "You two are going to live together in a little town just west of here. If anyone asks, Jake's a small engine mechanic. We set him up with a job in town. Sherry, you work in sales." He smiled, handing her a phone. "You two are newly weds but got into an accident on your honeymoon. That's why Jake has no memory." He handed her a wedding band. "You two are up here trying to get your lives back together while he recovers, just like reality. Are you ready for your mission?" Sherry nodded softly. It wasn't like she had a choice.

Chris opened the door to the medical ward. Jake was already pacing the hallway, his duffel bag on his shoulder, another in his arm. "I believe this is yours?" He threw the bag down at Sherry's feet. Claire said nothing as she stared at her friend, Sherry. Jake smirked, eyeing the ring on his finger. "Newly weds, right... Must have been a different guy in my past." Sherry picked up the bag and threw it over her shoulder.  
"No, you were about the same when I met you." She gave him a dirty look and pushed past him, knocking him over slightly. He "tsked" as he scoffed at her.  
"Feisty little snowflake." He cocked his head, "Lookin' real forward to shackin' up with you." Chris and Claire stood watch while Sherry went to get Jake's medical report. Jake put his chin up and crossed his arms, staring down the 5'7 redhead and her army grunt brother.  
"Who are you two, her bodyguards?" He scoffed again and threw his arms out as he changed his weight from one foot to another, "No offense but she looks like she'll break if I sneeze. I'm sure I can handle myself." He tried to walk by Chris, who threw his hand out to Jake's chest, blocking him.  
"No. you're under her protection for a reason and you better comply." They stared at each other from the corner of their eyes, their bodies in line side by side. Both of them tensed, waiting for the other to strike first.  
"Wow." Claire smiled, "Got a butter knife for me to cut that tension with?" She shrugged, "If you two were any more buddy buddy there, I swear you'd make out." Jake looked her up and down again, turning to face her coldly.  
"Excuse me?"

Claire waved her hands in the air, "... But please don't! One of you is my brother after all." He scoffed again. Sherry came out of the medical office.  
"Do I need to have someone authorize a choke collar for him?" Chris offered. Sherry gave both Jake and Chris an annoyed glance.  
"I suggest it." Claire crossed her arms, "Maybe an electric one." She added.  
"Yeah, that's funny." Jake crossed his arms, "Make sure it has little spikes on it. I don't do no diamond puppy shit." Sherry smiled softly. At least Jake was finally warming up to the situation. She looked up at Chris.  
"Is our ride ready?"  
"Yeah." Chris smiled softly, leading them to the exit. "Your story is that your vehicle broke down near our army base. We lent you this to get into town. You already have accommodations. Spend one night in the lodge at the edge of town, then we have a one bedroom rental for you.  
"Okay, that will make it easy to keep an eye on him." Sherry eyed Jake. He always seemed to walk one step behind her, always watching her back, even now. He joked along with Claire. Sherry was happy to see that at least he may be able to lead a normal life and have friends now that his past was a clean slate. Chris caught the sad look on her face.  
"You two will be okay. Claire is here if you need any support. Just try to lay low and don't force him to remember anything." She nodded.

"Dr. Chambers gave me a handbook on being the spouse of someone with memory loss." He nodded at her.  
"I've been there myself as both the victim and the friend. It's never easy." Sherry adjusted the bag on her shoulder before giving Chris and Claire a hug.  
"Thank you so much for everything you guys are doing for us. I really appreciate it."  
"All the best." Chris adjusted Sherry's hat and scarf, the big brother in him coming out. Claire readjusted everything after giving Sherry another hug.  
"Men, they never get these things right." The three of them chuckled as Jake paced. He sat down on the snow mobile and began to tinker with it before Chris finished briefing Sherry.  
"Okay, Sherry. The phone has a working GPS. It will lead you to town. It's about twenty minutes away." He handed her the keys, "Just keep out of trouble, okay?" She smiled softly with a nod. Claire took off Sherry's hat and scruffed up her hair before replacing it.  
"She's little miss 'trouble finds me' so that's going to be a chore." Sherry bit her lip and slapped Claire lightly on the shoulder.  
"Yeah, monsters do love me, don't they?" Chris handed her another phone and a pair of key chains.

"Before I forget, this is for you and Jake. The red chain is for him. It has a panic button that activates the GPS on your phone. The blue chain is your panic button. It activates my GPS. Just incase." Sherry nodded again.  
"Thanks again, Chris."  
"Hey, enough already! Are you comin' or what?" Jake threw his hands out, "Unless you have some balls to freeze off on this seat, too!"  
"Oh yeah," Claire smiled, "He's going to fit right in around here." Sherry smiled and waved goodbye, hoping on behind Jake. She handed him the keys and slipped her hands around him, her GPS in his view.

It was dark outside and Sherry couldn't remember if it was day or night at this point. There was very little daylight in Alaska's springtime. The ride was quiet and awkward but there was a romantic atmosphere despite the cold. The northern lights danced above them, the stars shining brightly against the rounded horizon of crisp snow before them. A patch of light shone in the distance, blocking out the stars, signifying a town. Sherry tried to talk to Jake over the wind and howling snow. A storm was rolling in. She hesitated several times, wondering if she should even bother.

"So, do you remember anything?" She hesitated as he took his time to respond.  
"Not yet." He answered over the snow. "I didn't even know my own name on that chopper, until you called it out." He shook his head. "They wouldn't tell me my last name. They said I'm some kind of mechanic?" He scoffed, "Explains my attitude." Sherry smiled warmly. At least he was believing this back story. The silence nearly went on for a time again before Jake opened up.  
"Who are you to me exactly?" His tone was soft and sad. He really didn't remember her at all. Sherry paused, startled by his statement.  
"What do you mean?" She blinked back tears from both the situation and the wind whipping at her face. She buried her head against his back. Jake sighed in response, his tone changing to annoyance, his voice calm and steady. "Please, don't play dumb with me. We both know you kissed me."

Sherry refused to respond. She hugged Jake tighter for a moment, then relaxed her grip as she lost the will to hold onto their future. He noticed her hands trebling against him. He took a deep breath, then sighed, spilling what was on his mind. "I saw the look in your eyes when I pushed you away." He paused again, revving the snowmobile harder. She still didn't answer.  
"Woman, I asked a question." He looked at her from the side mirrors, frowning at the haunting look in her eyes. The same look she gave when he had pushed her away, except the fear was now gone. All Sherry could do was blush and turn away. They could now see the town. She put her phone away and held onto her hat as the wind whipped at her face.

"I can't tell you anything." She whispered in his ear, shaking her head as she gave his arm a soft squeeze with her hand. "If I try to help you remember, you'll have a cluster headache." She paused, her voice softening to where it was almost inaudible. "This isn't the place or the time." Jake understood her words. He had been at that damn base for a month in recovery. His headaches brought him to the floor against his will. Sometimes he'd have a seizure or pass out. They had put him on seizure medication to control it and wouldn't let him go until the medication worked enough to improve his quality of life. Jake cocked his head with a nod.  
"Fair enough."

The ride into town was otherwise uneventful, both of them sharing the awkward quietness as the cold bit into their skin. The cabin was ahead, just as Chris had said. Jake parked the snowmobile and went in. He sat down awkwardly on a bench while Sherry waited at the counter. He knew she was in charge of him and he knew he had nothing to pay with. A lady around Sherry's age approached the counter. She rubbed her eyes with a yawn. "Hi. May I help you?" She shrugged, "If you don't mind waiting, Bill is coming any minute to take his shift. I've been up all day." Sherry smiled softly with a nod.

"That's fine." She turned to have a seat. Jake stood up and approached the counter.  
"No, it's not fine." He cleared his throat, trying to speak more gently to the lady. "I'm sorry," he read her name tag, "Beth but my wife and I got into a car accident before we could enjoy our honeymoon. We were treated at an army base around the corner from here." He folded his arms on the counter and leaned his head on it, eyeing her softly, working the girl with his charm. "I'm sorry but my wife isn't well and she needs to rest. Can you please give us a room key." He put his arms out as stretched. The lady grabbed the paperwork they needed. Jake gave her a wink and a smile as she handed them the key, "Grazie, bella mia." He handed Sherry the paperwork.

"You can fill it out in your room! Tonight is on me, after that you need to deal with Bill!" Beth called out to Jake. He dropped his and Sherry's bags and scooped Sherry up in his arms, giving her a look of love as he carried her wedding style. "Molto, bene, Beth! Bene grazie." He gave Sherry a short, sweet kiss and followed the hallway to their ground floor room. Jake unlocked the key with one hand then gently placed Sherry on the bed. She was still staring at him with shock.

"I'll get our shit." He turned and went out the doorway. Sherry could just press her fingers to her lips, wishing he'd remember everything sooner. For a moment, she believed he was her Jake. He returned with the bags, tossing them the floor as he locked the door. He stripped his clothes and tossed a pillow and blanket at the couch. "You sleep there." He pointed, then he waved his finger in the air, "If you snore, you're out in the hall." He plunked his naked ass onto the bed and sprawled out, giving Sherry a dirty look when she didn't move. "And I sleep naked, deal with it." Sherry didn't know if to laugh or cry. He was still Jake, just not her Jake. She was happy to take the couch for tonight. At least it wouldn't get her hopes up if she woke up to him naked the next morning. Jake eyed her from across the room. Sherry sniffled softly as she turned away from him. She fell quickly into a deep sleep.

Look, snowflake. I'm sorry." He whispered, rolling eyes. "I don't know what the fuck I did to be here, so please, just bear with me." Sherry rubbed her eyes. She didn't know she had been crying in her sleep.  
"No, I'm sorry, you're right." She smiled softly as she met his gaze. He covered himself up out of respect for her.  
"Goddamn it, can you at least try to be annoyed?" He growled softly at her with a chuckle. "You're so passive. It pisses me off." Sherry sat up, pulling the blanket around herself, a shy smile on her face. Her bright blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark. Jake stared into them, wondering what secrets they held. She looked off at nothing, staring at the floor, her gaze haunting him.

Jake rolled his eyes, then padded the bed with his hand. "Look, it's fuckin' cold. For body heat's sake?" He padded the bed again when Sherry didn't move. Sherry came over in her fuzzy blue two piece pajamas, not knowing why she accepted his offer. He rolled over to face the wall. "Just, don't get the wrong idea girl, okay?" She nodded her head. She found herself staring at the back of his head, her gaze following every curve of his body from his smooth, strong shoulders to the curves of his perfectly triangular, muscled back. "Hey!" He called out, "Will you stop doing that? You're making me nervous." Sherry chuckled and rolled her back towards him. Even without his memories, Jake still had his instincts. It must be impossible to sleep with eyes on him. She stretched and gave into her fatigue. At least he was alive. There was still hope so long as they weren't found before he regained his memories. The feeling of that one, small kiss still tingled her lips, giving her hope once again.

* * *

**"I should've seen it comin' , I should've read the signs... Anyway, I guess it's over. Can't believe that I'm the fool again. I thought this love would never end. How was I to know? You never told me! Can't believe that I'm the fool again and I who thought you were my friend . How was I to know, you never told me?" Fool Again, WestLife**

Sherry awoke to Jake stirring beside her. She lifted her chin only to bump her nose right into his. At some point in the night she had put her head on his shoulder, her arm around his chest. It seemed he was already up for a while. "You okay, snowflake?" He smiled softly at her before getting out of bed. He wrapped the sheet around himself and opened the door. The lady from the night before held out a breakfast platter her hand raised to knock.

"Hey, Beth." Jake smiled, hiding slightly behind the door. Sherry eyed them at the door with a little bit of jealousy. She got out of bed to take the breakfast tray. Beth blushed at Jake's half-naked body.  
"I'm sorry, I hope I didn't interrupt..." Jake scoffed.  
"Please. I got the door, didn't I?" He sat down on the bed. Beth blushed harder. "Well, check out time is in an hour. Do you have those forms?" Sherry checked her watch. She slept in much longer than she thought. She scribbled out the form, checking the name on their new credit cards and drivers liscenses. "Cheri and Jacques Boucher." She smiled, furrowing her brows at the names.

"Mr. Boucher and I had a lovely visit." She smiled and passed the forms and the cards over. Beth handed back the cards.  
"I promised you two a free night, now please, enjoy your breakfast. Even if you go overtime, it's alright. We don't get many visitors here."  
"Why thank you, Beth." Jake kissed Beth's hand. The brunette gave a soft wave and dashed out of the room as she went red from head to toe. Sherry chuckled.  
"My my, Mr. Boucher, you have a way with the ladies." Jake leaned over and reached for the cards. He tickled Sherry when she wouldn't release them, his sheet falling off to reveal his naked body as he pinned her to the couch. "Do I, Mrs. Boucher?" Sherry's eyes couldn't help but wander his face and body. She had explored every inch of his body before. Her fingers slid down his arms, remembering with just a touch as she became lost in the moment. He didn't fight her this time as he eyed her with a look of both pleasure and confusion. She paused, pulling her hands back to herself.

"I... I'm sorry." She stammered.  
"No, it's okay." He shook his head and pulled the sheets back around himself. "It's my fault. I guess I have that effect on women." Sherry crossed her arms, finding herself scoffing this time.  
"In your dreams, Jacques Boucher." She laughed as Jake frowned with a sense of seriousness at his new name.  
"Yeah and who are you? Marie Antoinette?" He pointed at her.  
"Close." She laughed again, "Cheri, mon ami." She laughed at her own French accent.  
"Well, bisous mes darier..." Jake pulled on his clothes without any shame infront of Sherry. "We are married, right?" He shrugged at her blush. She looked away, trying to hide how he made her feel.  
"You did tell me to kiss your ass, right?" Sherry picked up her clothes and headed to the bathroom as Jake dove into breakfast with his fork.  
"So she does parle! Good for you, snowflake." Sherry shook her head and locked the door. Jake called out to her with a mouthfull of food, "I don't bite!"  
"Yeah?" She called out, "You do!"

"What would you know about that?" He called back. She didn't answer. She came out of the bathroom quietly and packed her things, inspecting them incase she forgot anything.  
"Hey." He called out with annoyance. "Are you going to answer or..." He eyed her left shoulder as she zipped her bag. Something felt so familiar. He stared at his hand, expecting to see blood, then grabbed his head with both hands as he fell to his knees, crying out in pain.  
"Jake!" Sherry grabbed Jake under his arms, trying to stabalize him. He pushed her off and stumbled ot his feet.  
"I'm fine." He growled, shaking his head. "Just... Keep your shirt on, okay?" Sherry blinked at him in confusion.  
"I'm fully clothed." She whispered, looking at him strangely. Jake stared at his palm again.  
"Just what the fuck did I just see?" He lifted her gaze to see that haunting look once more. Sherry shook her head softly. He smacked his arm against the wall, leaving a deep imprint in the drywall. He had splintered the wood. He stared at the imprint, slowly pulling his arm away.  
"Jake." She whispered, "Just please, you need to calm down." She held his arm softly.

Jake grabbed his head and fell to the floor again, crying out with pain. Beth ran into the room.  
"What's happening? Is he okay?" Jake began to shake. Sherry pulled out a bottle from his bag.  
"It's a seizure, from the accident." She slipped a pill under his tongue and craddled his head in between her knees until he stopped shaking. Sherry looked at beth, then the imprint in the wall.  
"I'm sorry." Sherry whispered, "I'll pay for the damages!" She took her card out of her wallet and handed it to Beth, who stared at the two of them with concern. Beth shook her head.  
"It's okay, I understand." Sherry smiled softly.  
"My friend has rented a place for us. Would you mind driving us there? I'll pay for the gas."  
"No problem." Beth smiled happily. "I'll get Bill for you. He's just finishing his shift." Sherry smiled softly.  
"Thank you so much, Beth. The world needs more people like you." It sounded so cliche but Sherry meant every word.

Jake awoke in a small one bedroom cabin. He was in a loft bed above the livingroom. He heard a fireplace crackling along. He rubbed his head. It was sore as heck. He sat up but found himself light headed, thankful for the bars keeping him from falling to the main floor. He could see Sherry in the kitchen. She was taking something out of the oven. He groaned as he let himself fall back to the bed.  
"Jake?" She called up to him. "Are you okay?" Her feet hit the second step of the stairway when he called out to her.  
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just, stay there, alright?" She nodded and reluctantly went back to the kitchen. She watched him from the corner of her eye as she took off her over mits. "I baked you a pie." She smiled. "It's apple, your favorite." Jake smiled, taking in the scent of cinnamon and fresh apples.

"God, Redfield gives me a guard and I earn a housewife. Amazing." Sherry chuckled. Jake got out of bed once more, this time successfully making his way down the stairs. "That smells awesome." He shoved his finger in the pie and licked it.  
"Hey..." She pushed him away. "At least let it cool first!" She sighed, "It's one of the only things I learned to make as a kid." Jake eyed her curiously, his eyes going between her and the pie.  
"Why did you stop learning?" Sherry looked away, frowning.  
"That's right, you don't remember." She shook her head then let her eyes rest softly on his. "My parents died when I was twelve." She sighed, "Let's call it an industrial accident." Jake stepped towards her and she stepped away.  
"I, I'm sorry... I didn't mean..." He reached his arms out to catch Sherry as she stumbled over the rug, one hand around her waist and the other on her hand. They locked eyes for a moment, Sherry blushing as he searched for a memory that wasn't there. The snow howled outside, the fireplace flickering across the room.  
"Jake... I...?" She searched for words but none came out. He eyed her smooth, pink lips before meeting them with his own. He embraced her with a warm, passionate kiss. Sherry's hands found his chest as she melted against him, forgetting how to stand on her feet as her toes curled. Her body warmed to his, her blood rushing to her head. A whimper escaped her lips, muffled by Jake's. In a moment, the embrace was gone and Sherry floated back to her feet, gasping for breath as she stared into those familiar blue eyes. Jake looked at her, then stepped away, frowning. A look of shame was on his face.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm going to go out for a bit, get some air."  
"Okay." Sherry nodded softly, touching her lips. He opened the door, the snow and cold air swirling inside, blowing out the fireplace. "Wait!" She called after him. Jake paused, reluctantly looking over his shoulder as he slugged his jacket on.  
"Yeah?"  
"Why did you just..." He cut her off coldly.  
"I don't know. I thought I'd feel something." He shook his head and went out into the snow. "Not my lucky day."

Time passed. Jake wouldn't answer his phone. She looked at her GPS, keeping tabs on him. He had gone to a bar and was still moving around it seemed. She sighed. He probably went to relax. Even though he shouldn't be drinking with his medication, it shouldn't affect him too much. So long as he was back for his dose in the morning and kept his immediate relief medication on him, he should be fine. She took a blanket to the fireplace along with a cup of tea and a piece of pie and ice cream. She stuck her handgun under her pillow, determined to stay up and wait for him.

Sherry found herself craving ice cream for the first time, like something she had seen in a movie. Before she knew it half the bucket was gone and her face was covered in ash from poking the fire. She put the ice cream away and covered the pie, knowing Jake would devour it before bedtime. He had keys, he was a big boy, he could handle himself. Sherry snuggled up on the faux fur rug and let herself give in to sleep again. She tried not to let his words get to her, after all, Jake had no memory of who he was, the promises made or broken, the exchanges of love and passion. He was a free man under her care. It still hurt her more than anything she had experienced before. She found herself once again crying herself to the point of exhaustion, eventually falling asleep.

Sherry awoke again. The fireplace was still roaring. Jake must have gotten it started again in the middle of the night. It was bright outside for once. She heard Jake grunt light he was fighting someone. Sherry grabbed her handgun from under her pillow and ran through the living room. She raced around the corner and up the stairs to a sight she didn't expect. Jake was going to a romp in the loft with three women in their bed. Sherry dropped her gun, her heart sinking as her face flushed with shock and sadness. She should have felt angry, cursing at herself for not expecting this but no, Jake was a free man and he felt nothing for her.  
"I... I'm sorry..." She stumbled backwards, nearly tripping down the stairs, then turned and went to the kitchen for her purse.  
"Where you goin', Snowflake?" He called out, "Sorry you missed the party but the fun is still goin'."  
"Yeah?" Sherry narrowed her eyes, shaking with rage as she pocketed her gun. "I thought you were in trouble. You better burn those damn sheets!" She threw on her jacket and stumbled out into the snow. Jake both felt pity for her and amusement. Hearing Sherry curse was like seeing a small child do it, both hilarious and wrong at the same time. He was too drunk to know what he did this time.  
"God, I have a right to live my life, right ladies?" He continued whatever he was doing.

Sherry checked her GPS. She wanted to go somewhere warm, comfortable, inviting. She looked around for a coffee shop and marched off in that direction. She paused to pull out her hat, slamming it down on her head. As she went to put her head up, and march off she landed face first into a strong chest. She fell on her ass as her feet slipped in the snow on the sidewalk, the stranger barely fast enough to catch her hand. "Woah woah, sorry there, miss." He yanked her up. She was covered in snow, her pants wet with slush. "I'm so sorry." He pulled her up to her feet. Sherry pulled some loose hair behind her ears, tucking it in her hat.

"No, I'm sorry it was my fault." She blushed at the young man in front of her. He was in his thirties, green eyes and brown hair. He wasn't as attractive as Jake but was still handsome.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Sherry searched for words.  
"I'm fine, thank you. Just a little wet." She smiled softly, "Mrs. Boucher." He put his hand out to shake hers and she accepted it.  
"Sam McGee, from Tennasee." He laughed, "Just playin'. That's a good book, though. The name is Walsh, Sam Walsh."  
"Cheri." She smiled more warmly this time, chuckling along with him. "It's French." She frowned at herself on the inside. Why was she being so cheesy?  
"Well, Mrs. Boucher. Sorry to hear you're married. Alaska is lonely up here. Men outnumber women 5-1 here." Sherry shook her head, with a scoff.  
"Huh. That's news to me." She straightened her jacket, a sad look in her eyes as she turned to face the house she ran out of.  
"A little fight with the husband?"

"Yeah." She chuckled, "You could say that." She smiled again, "Newly weds. Only, we got in a car accident and he's forgotten who he is." She turned to smile at the gentleman, not knowing why she was opening up to him, her back was still facing him as she tried to pry herself from the house. "We don't know each other anymore." She frowned, playing with the bracelet on her arm. It meant more than the phony ring on her finger, that was for sure. The last thing that meant something to the two of them.

"Well, Mrs. Boucher," Sam walked up beside her, "What you need is a nice hot pot of coffee." Sherry frowned slightly. Jake had said the same thing when they had first met. She had lost her data files in the snow and they found them, having to spend a night alone together in an abandoned cottage. So much happened that night. She went from hating him to falling in love. She stared off at the house, her fingers playing with the locket at her wrists. "Mrs. Boucher?" Sam's kind voice snapped her back to reality.  
"I... I'm sorry. Was just thinking..." She shook her head softly. She gave a soft nod and grabbed Sam's arm with her own, "...What a great idea that is, actually." She smiled warmly this time, not looking back at the house behind her. She was allowed to live her life, too for once. She was finally free and no one, not even Jake, was going to take that from her this time. Sure, she would protect him but she had enough of this broken life and shattered dreams.

Chapter 80: Yesterday  
"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be. There's a shadow hanging over me. Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say. I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday." Yesterday, the Beatles

Sherry sipped her apple cider, letting the cinnamon, caramel and whipped cream bathe her tongue in sweetness. The warmth of the cider and cool of the cream reminded her of Jake, the smell of the apples didn't help either. She smiled, hiding everything in as she always did as she conversed with Sam, making up her life where she needed to as she went along.

"Well, my parents died when I was young. It was an industrial accident. I was ward of the state. I was fine growing up as an orphan. It got me a scholarship into criminal investigation but I decided to do sale." She wasn't really lying after all, just bending the truth. "Cheri Boucher, from Tall Oaks, Washington." She wanted to kick herself as she went on. "Nope, didn't lose anyone in the outbreak, I didn't keep close friendships with the girls I grew up with, I was always the odd one out." Well, she definitely was the odd one out. What kind of sales? She smiled softly, wondering if she should make a joke about "The Office." She pondered her words. "Well, that's how I met my husband, in Canada. Snow mobile sales. I don't know much about them, I just do the accounting. He's a mechanic for them, though." Good bluff, Birkin. She smiled as she was owning this new persona, a sense of confidence rising within her.

"Well that sounds wonderful." Sam smiled. "I own this little coffee shop. It's not much but it gets me by." His curly black hair tumbled out of his Colorado Avalanches hat, the color accentuating his big green eyes. Sherry admired his homely personality. He was a real small townie, nothing special from the outside, dressed simply for the season. Everyone around here gave off that casual vibe. The world seemed to slow down and relax in this place. It almost unnerved Sherry how comfortable everything was. She could really see herself fading into the town, settling in, maybe finding the right person again. She didn't want to give up on Jake but at the same time, it wasn't fair that he had already given up on her, despite the feelings she obviously had for him. How dare he? In their bed? She broke the handle of the cup accidentally, not even reacting when it pierced her skin. Sam reached out for her hand.  
"Oh, shit." Sherry frowned, pulling her hand away. "I'll go run it under water!" She covered her hand with a tea towel and headed into the bathroom. A piece of the porcelain was splintered in her finger. She left it there to prevent it from healing when she came out for a bandage. "See, it's already stopped." She smiled. Sam went behind the counter with the first aid kit. Sherry insisted on bandaging it herself. "Really, it's fine." She smiled softly, handing him back the cloth that she had already washed. She made sure to spray it with some glass cleaner she found in the bathroom, not wanting anyone to steal her DNA.

"You may need stitches, Cheri." He shook his head. "Maybe I should take you by..." She shook her head again.  
"Really, it's fine!" She smiled again. "Well, it was really nice meeting you, Sam. Thanks for the coffee!" She turned to leave abruptly.  
"Any time, Cheri." He scribbled his number on the back of his business card, "If you need anything, Mrs. Boucher, you let me know, okay?" She nodded, taking the card before she dashed home.

Sherry ran around the corner and leaned up against the wall. Her finger was killing her as her body tried to force the splinter out. She pushed on her finger with her thumb, letting the splinter go deeper. Even a splinter gave her that sick feeling of when her body mended itself. She hated it. She bit her lip as the feeling subsided momentarily. She would take it out when she got home. Hopefully Jake was finished fooling around with those whores. Sherry found her key in her pocket, cursing as she took it out with her hand that had the splinter. She couldn't wait to get it out, her finger leaking blood everywhere. As she went to put the key in, Jake opened the door. His tall frame took up the doorway as he leaned in it, his arm up on the top frame as he leaned his forehead against it.  
"Hey." Hey whispered. He smelled of sex, booze and cigarette and was wearing nothing but a pair of black jogging pants. Sherry pushed past him, not wanting to deal with him right now as she went to the sink. She bit down on her finger with her teeth, successfully pulling the splinter out. She turned on the water and whimpered as her finger healed itself. At least the bitches were gone. Her only witness was Jake and at this point, she didn't care if he suffered a headache. He let her finger heal itself, then washed the blood off of her hands. He stared at for a moment while she refused to look at him. Sherry noticed the pie was half gone. Jake was still staring at the sink. "Did you just..." He shook his head and walked away, "Never mind. I'm fuckin' drunk." He flopped onto the couch, "G'night, snowflake."

Jake went upstairs. Fresh sheets were on the bed that was still made. Sherry was in the shower. He didn't know where the guest bathroom was in his drunken state. He wandered into the bathroom, kicking in the door before he hunched over the toilet and threw up. Sherry poked her head out of the shower. "Just what the fuck are you doing?" She growled at him, throwing the soap at his head. Jake waved at her with his hand, talking as he gasped for breath.  
"Can't you see I'm sick, bitch?" Sherry rolled her eyes.  
"You know you are on seizure medication. What did you think would happen?" She finished washing her hair and stormed out to go change.

Jake awoke on the bed in a fresh change of clothes. Sherry was nowhere in sight. She must have washed him, dressed him and put him to bed. He was surprised. _"Snowflake is tougher than I thought."_ He smiled softly until his head started to pound again. He remembered something about...

_A car wreck, Sherry dragging his body from it before the cars erupted in flames. He woke up in a cafe, his head pounding just like it was doing right now. "What's the plan, super girl?" Jake was covered in blood from head to toe. They raided some store, changing into fancy clothes to go to some club. Sherry protested but she went along with him. There was a shoot out and he remembered dying, only for her blood to save him. It pooled on the floor. He fought with a woman that looked more like an insect. Her face seemed familiar. He tried desperately to revive Sherry, crying over her body. She came alive, only to be excited that he was alive._

"Goddamn it." He growled, "Who is she?" The pain ran through his head, more images flashing before his eyes. It was all fragmented. He fought against the pain, the seizures. He wanted to know.

_Her blonde hair and face danced before his eyes, her soft lips on his, her sighs and moans purring into his ears. He could barely make out the face before him but somehow, he knew it had to be Sherry. _

Another vision.

_Jake was in the jungle, men laying dead all around him. His cheek hurt as his face began to bleed. Someone slashing at him with a knife. He dodged but he just wasn't fast enough, taking a knife in his side. He woke up at the bottom of a waterfall in a riverbed. Somehow he had lived._

Jake reached for the pills in his pocket as he felt a seizure drawing from the pain. His head began to tingle, he could smell something burning as his body became tense. It was too late. Sherry opened the front door, hearing Jake cry out in pain. She dropped her groceries and ran up the stairs. She noticed Jake had dropped his medication. No doubt he wasn't able to take it in time. She slipped a pill under his tongue and held his jaw closed. He was safe on the bed so she let him go through it without her support. "It's okay, Jake." She stroked his forehead lightly. "I'm here. It will be over soon." Sherry begged for him to regain his memories so this would be over. She couldn't stand to see him go through this any longer. Once the seizure stopped, she checked his vitals and picked up all of the pills. She tucked him safely back into bed and went downstairs to put the groceries away. Half of the eggs were broken and the eggs were squashed but at least she was here to help him. She wiped a tear from her eye and cleaned up the mess, her eyes constantly checking on him as he slept.

Jake started his job at the mechanic store. They barely spoke to each other since the night Jake had those women over. He hadn't done it again, that was a fact. They worked out their shifts. Sherry took a job at the coffee shop and would use the bed at night, Jake worked in the night and slept in the day. It was like neither of them lived there at the same time. Sherry found herself growing fond of Sam, trying not to bother Claire with the bullshit going through her head. Besides, Jake never thought himself worthy of her. That's what she kept telling herself. Jake kept trying to apologize, especially when he realized the memories he had always seemed to be clearer when Sherry was near. She pushed him away, tired of seeing him go through the pain and seizures because of her. Sherry wanted to forget, to just move on, to bury the past like she always did, in a box at the back of her head.

Jake paused to lit a cigarette in the cold. He always walked to work since it wasn't very far. He liked the night shift. It meant he didn't have to deal with people. He couldn't stand hanging around people that always seemed so normal and fake. It just bothered him all the time. He was good at tinkering with small engines, motorcycles being his favorite but somehow, he knew that this was all a scam. He hated working a regular job. He didn't like getting up at night to work. He was a morning person and liked when the sunlight woke him up. This whole life out in butt-fuckin nowhere? It just felt fake to him. He didn't mind the quiet wilderness, that was a plus but the boring steady life? He was dying for something to happen. A bank robbery, a car accident, hell he'd light his house on fire at this point. His fingers were itching to punch someone or something and it had been two months since he had a woman over again, out of respect for Sherry.

"Hey you, got a light?" Someone called from behind him. Jake looked over his lighter.  
"Sorry pal, if you smoke, get your own lighter." Jake lunged backwards instinctively as a knife slashed in front of his face. At first, he thought he should be afraid but really, it excited him. He kicked forward, sending the man to the ground, then spun around to see three others behind him, one more to his side. He spun and kicked the first one again, sending him flying into the air. Jake took the knife from the corpse's hand, noticing that it bled from... six eyes? It dissolved in a burst of flames. Jake stared at it for a moment, a memory piercing his vision. He shook his head at the pain. "Not now, not now." He groaned as he turned and punched another one. This ones head exploded before it too burst into flames. Another came at him with a knife and he dodged three times, bending low the last time to give it a sweep kick. Jake leaped into the air, bringing his fist down with a grunt as he smashed it in. He got down low and did a double tiger fist, hitting one enemy high behind him and another low before him at the same time, then flew up with a barrel kick, throwing his other foot out as the first landed to give the next a roundhouse. One more remained. He grabbed this one, pressing it's back up against the wall as he twisted its face in his hand.  
"What the fuck are you?" Jake asked. It didn't answer, "What do you want with me?" Still no answer. Jake let it fall to the floor, releasing a series of quick snake strikes to it expertly before pinning it again. "Okay, let's try this again." Jake took his knife and shoved it through this one's shoulder, twisting it as it howled in pain. He quoted Samuel L. Jackson. "English, mother fucker, do you speak it?" When the J'avo didn't answer, he slashed upwards, dragging the knife to it's throat before letting it come out of it's flesh. It fell to the floor, burning to ash. Jake squatted, lifting the ash off the fresh snow. It burned so fast the snow didn't even melt. His head hurt again. He grabbed his medication just in case, bracing the wall as a memory flooded him once more.

_He was in a tiny shack for a home. It had a bared window and was falling apart. He peered through it, watching the chaos of battle going on outside. A petite blonde woman spoke to him, pulling him from his thoughts as he rattled on about money. "You blood, Jake. We need your blood." Her words were fragments in his mind. "We needed a cure yesterday!"_

He cried out in pain against the memory, trying to hold on, to make sense of it all.

_"The world needs you and you're the only one who can save it."_

Then his own words burned in his mind.

_"Not me, just the my blood. The world can have it, so long as someone ponies up the dough."_ A monster chased them, a mechanical claw on his arm. Sherry's sweet face. "I won't let anything happen to you, Jake." They held hands on a fast moving platform. Images of them playing in the water filled his head. He had caught her peeking when she wasn't supposed to. A moment alone in a hotel room, where he refused to make love to her. He watched her fly away in a plane, sending her a text-message about changing his price to $50.

The images of the blonde from his memory became clearer. It was Sherry.

_Jake kissed her, he soothed her... He had made love to her. A release they both wanted. It felt soulful like nothing he had felt before. The passion was life fire, tearing down his walls, consuming him completely as they consummated their love. "You can't have him!" He felt her arms around him, her heart beat against his ears, her soft breasts on his face. "I won't let you turn him into a guinea pig."_

He slipped the tablet under his tongue as he began to convulse in the snow. He hadn't noticed when he had fallen down but he had to make it home somehow, he had so many questions to ask her.


	20. A life less ordinary pt 2 of x

**Untitled**

Jake stumbled through the snow. It was coming down heavy, the cold winds bitter and unforgiving. It reminded him of home.  
_"Home...Edonia? Is that home?"_ He thought back to his childhood. His mother._ "What was her name?"_ He remembered her deathnote, how he felt when he found it after returning home from his first mission as..._ "What was my real job?"_  
Every life he took, every single face, flashed before his eyes. He howled in pain, his voice reverberating off the empty, silent streets. He grabbed his head, trying not to hit it as he fell to the ground. The pain wouldn't stop. He got up and continued to crawl through the snow. Jake couldn't see where he was going but he knew his feet would take him home. He had walked this street for two months back and forth, never stopping on the way but always lost in his own head. One face terrified him in his memories.

_"The Ustanak?"_ He remembered running from it with Sherry. They hated each other but after a while, something started a fire between them, bringing them together. He still saw her haunted face before him in a cabin, somewhere in the mountains. He had protected her when more of those freaks, _"No, they're J'avo,"_ had broken in, trying to kill them. An avalanche happened. He learned about his father from some woman inappropriately dressed for the weather. _"Albert Wesker?"_ His mother died because he abandoned them. He recalled his face. He had met him when he was about three years old. Some conversation about it not being safe for them to return to America.  
Jake didn't even know he had that memory before getting amnesia.  
Jake's mother had sent him outside to play while they argued. He hummed a tune over their voices, not wanting to hear any of it. The tall, pale man wore glasses, staring at him with intrigue. He said he would return for Jake but never did. She could have lived if they had the money but no, she died and it was his father's fault.  
Jake gritted his teeth. He somehow knew he was almost home and so close to finally breaking through his memories. He fought against the pain, stumbling to his feet, using everything and anything to drag himself home. _"Sherry."_ His head was pounding, the world spinning, his thoughts reeling, the snow disorienting him. _"I need to find Sherry."_  
A helicopter caught fire. He helped Sherry cross in mid-flight to the next, the former one exploding behind him. He barely grabbed on, Sherry pulling him to his feet. They rolled to the back of the helicopter as it became unstable from the Ustinak, one parachute rolling towards them as Jake forced himself to grab on for just one more moment. He grabbed the parachute, pulling Sherry off the chopper and onto him as he pulled it onto himself and pulled the release. Shrapnel shredded the shoot. They hurtled to the ground.  
Jake could smell coffee from the coffee house around the corner. He was almost home.  
_"Coffee."_ He remembered telling Sherry that once they got to the cabin he'd, _"Brew us up a nice pot of coffee."_ He chuckled, _"Fuckin' cabin had no coffee."_  
Finally. Jake found his key and forced it into the lock. He forgot he had that stupid panic button if he needed Sherry. He fought with the lock, finally getting it open. He grabbed the doorframe and stumbled inside, forcing the door closed against the storm. Sherry was curcled up infront of the fireplace with a "friend."

"Sherry!" Jake cried out, his voice ragged from the wind and pain. She couldn't hear him over the roar of the fire, the chuckling and laughing with her conversation. Jake marched up to her and pulled her pink camisole, ripping it. Sherry grabbed her shirt, pulling the front strap to her shoulder but said nothing. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment but she knew she had to let him gawk at her. Jake stared at her bare shoulder. Sherry lookled into Jake's blue eyes, her jaw open in a gasp. Jake continued to stare, a haunted look on his face. Sherry's friend, Sam, wasn't so happy about the situation. Obviously he didn't understand.  
Sam stood up, ready to punch Jake. Jake grabbed his fist instinctively, twisting his wrist painfully, still staring at Sherry's shoulder. He remembered when she had come in and run her hand under the water, the bleeding stopped as soon as she pulled the splinter from her finger. He stared at his own hand, concentrating, trying to remember.

Jake awoke in the snow. Sherry lay ontop of him. He had taken the impact of the fall for her. Why, he didn't know. He was an asshole mercenary with the heart of a gentleman, always taking the weight of the fall. From her position above him, she must have rolled him out of the way. Debris was all around them. His hand was soaked with blood but he didn't have a cut on it. It was Sherry's blood. He remembered the fall, how he used the parachute for both of them, how it was torn in the crash. He slipped out from under Sherry, not believing his eyes. A large piece of the wreckage sticking out of her back. This was the first time he showed any real concern for her, afraid that she would bleed to death but he followed her command with hesitation, pulling it out of her. Then...  
"Sherry. You, you healed." He stammered as he looked for some sort of scar. Nothing. He released Sam's hand and walked off, pacing the room as he pinched the bridge of his nose nervously. Sherry watched him, afraid to say anything as Jake tried to put the pieces together. Sam stared at her, wondering if Jake had gone insane, his eyes pleading if he should do something about it.

"Sam," Sherry spoke softly, not taking her hands off of Jake. "I'm sorry but you have to go." Sam nodded, reluctantly agreeing. Sherry touched his arm gently, "I'll call you, okay? Don't worry about me. I'm fine." Sam nodded again. He walked past Jake, keeping his distance.  
As soon as the door closed, Jake allowed himself to surrender to the pain in his head. "Sherry..." He whispered her name as the pounding took over, alarms blazing in his head. "Sherry, I just got into a fight with some, J'avo." He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Am I imagining all of this?" He looked at her, trying to find some sort of confirmation that he wasn't crazy. She looked away from him, unable to keep his gaze. "Sherry, I got jumped by some guys. Like, five of them. They burned when I killed them." He made a fist with his hand and banged it on the floor as he lay on his stomach, surrendering to the pain. "Goddamn it, since I came to this town I've felt out of place. I liked the fight... I enjoyed it." His body shook as he tried to pull himself off the ground. Sherry ran to his side, lifting him up gently. His gaze found hers again. "Goddamn it, who am I?" He shook his head, "I was never a mechanic. I'm not some fuckin' Jacques Boucher." Sherry stroked his hair gently.

"Please Jake, you aren't crazy." Her eyes filled with sympathy, "Calm down... I don't like your seizures."  
"Sherry." He whispered, "Please. I have to see it with my own eyes."  
"Jake, you said you saw J'avo?" She spoke softly. He became annoyed, thinking she changed the subject until he heard movement outside.  
"Sherry, where are the guns?" Sherry's eyes widened. She ran upstairs and tossed Jake his 909. She threw on a sweater and found her panic button, hitting it. She grabbed her phone, expecting a call from Chris. Jake ran upstairs and grabbed Sherry, pulling her down the stairs to the floor. He covered her with his body as he lay on top of her, his head still realing.

J'avo broke through the windows. "Goddamn it." Jake growled, taking a look around the room. He reached a hand out to Sherry and pulled her to her feet. They stood back to back, guns drawn. "I hope you're warm enough in those bunny slippers." He shook his head, "I think this room is a little too small for this many shit-heads."

A knock came to the door. "Sherry?" Sherry gasped. It was Sam. She ran to the door and let him in, grabbing her jacket as she pushed him to the floor. She locked the door then threw her jacket on. "Sam, what are you doing here?" Sam looked up at her, then around the room. His eyes wide with fear as Jake opened fire. Sherry scrambled to put on her boots, stumbling along the floor to cover Jake. It was too late for same now. She opened the kitchen island's cupboard and shoved him inside. "Don't come out until we say so."

She rose to her feet, shooting some J'avo behind Jake as she got behind him. "Was wondering where you were, super girl?" Sherry picked up her phone from her pocket and put it on speaker. It was Chris Redfield.  
"Are you guys okay?"  
"No!" Jake answered, growling as he yelled back at Chris, "That's why she hit the panic button you dumb-fuck!" They took a few more J'avo out before responding again.  
"We're swarming in J'avo, Chris! There's a civilian here! Please, hurry!" Sherry ran up the stairs and threw Jake another clip for his gun. She grabbed a shotgun as some of the J'avo began to form Chrysalids.

"ETA 3 minutes." Redfield called back, "We're already in the air."  
"Fuckin' great." Jake yelled, "We got about three minutes until this place is over-taken. Better have quite the team, Redfield!" Sherry's phone shattered as a stray bullet hit it.  
"Well, better hope he knows where we are." She shrugged, taking out a few more.  
"Sherry?" She heard Sam call out from the cupboard, "You aren't in sales, are you?" She threw Jake another clip, wondering if to respond or not.  
"Just stay quiet!" She called out, "This will be over, soon!"  
"I can handle a shot-gun!" Sam called back. Jake nodded his head at her. Sherry frowned and tossed the shot gun to Jake. Jake slid it to the kitchen. Sam picked it up from the other end of the cupboard, still hiding. She tossed a box of shells next and Jake slid it along to the kitchen island. Sherry reloaded her handgun and threw the rest of the ammo bags down. Jake laughed.

"This is gonna be one hell of a night." Sherry frowned again as she jumped off the landing to guard Jake's back.  
"At least you're entertained!" Jake shrugged, pivoting on one heel to stand beside her.  
"Yeah, reminds me of old times." Sherry shook her head.  
"I'm not as easy to over-take anymore." Jake turned again, just in time for a mutated J'avo to lunge at them. Jake turned and grabbed Sherry, forcing her to the floor as the J'avo slashed it's inscissor arm at them. He grabbed her in his arms and rolled away, shielding their eyes from a flash grenade.

"Jesus Christ..." He grumbled, shooting past Sherry as she lay on his chest. She threw herself off, rising to her feet, pulling Jake up with her in one swift motions. She pivoted and covered his back again. Jake cocked his head with a smirk, "Shall we dance, milady?" Sherry furrowed her brows.  
"Well, you never did lose your sense of humor. Too bad that's back in full force." An explosion rocked the kitchen. Jake grabbed Sherry again as they got blasted to the top landing.  
"Mmm..." He smiled with a cock of his head, "No time for having you in bed, is there super girl?" She pulled herself off of him and looked over the railing.

"Sam!" She screamed. Another red canister went rolling towards the livingroom as Jake looked over the railing with her. He grabbed her and jumped out of the window, glass shattering around them as Sherry shrieked. Jake fell to the ground, protecting Sherry from the impact of the fall. They rolled the ground and Jake pushed off, stopping their momentum. Sherry rolled to her feet and Jake got up with her. She fell to her knees as they gave out, tears steaming down her face.  
"They killed Sam..." She shook her head in disbelief. "Why did I let him..." Her sobs took over her words. "Why did I let him into my life? Why did I bump into him that day? Why did I let him help us fight? Why didn't he stay away like I asked?"  
Jake grabbed her gently by the shoulder. Sherry brushed him off. Anger and jealousy burned in his eyes as he stepped away, continuing to fight any J'avo that approached them.

Of course, he couldn't say anything. He was the one that invited this, by choosing to ignore her feelings. It wasn't really his fault though, he didn't love her anymore. He didn't even know his first name if she didn't call it out. She had every right to find someone else and now had every right to grieve. He looked up at the sky, the sound of the chopper above. He pointed above at Chris. "Looks like the boyscouts have arrived." Sherry shook her head.  
"Goddamn it, it's too late."  
"Sherry?" Jake shook his head, "We're still alive! Are you hearing yourself?"  
"At what cost, Jake? How many people must die so we can survive?" She shook her head, "Piers... Sam? How many died because of my blood?" Sherry tucked in her feet, hugging them with her arms. She hated her body more now than ever. "All I ever wanted was to be normal!" She screamed at the wind as the BSAA came in and fought the J'avo. She threw her hand out in the air, "How many of these men, the people in this town, will die tonight because of us?" She sobbed, trying to hold in her tears but there was no way she could. Jake looked away from her, slightly disgusted.

"I might have been the one to lose memories, Sherry but I don't know who you are anymore!" Jake walked off to help the BSAA. She just watched him go. He paused and shook his head. "Get the fuck up already!" He yelled at her, pointing his gun at her head, "Move your feet!" Sherry looked away, hanging her head in shame. Jake grabbed her, forcing her to her feet.

"Look, okay. I'm sorry. I never told you it would be easy being with me. It's not my fault if I didn't know who I was." He shook his head. "What do you want me to say?" He tried to hug Sherry but she just kept pounding at his chest and arms. He grabbed her hands and held them at her sides, forcing her to hug him. She surrendered, crying into his chest. "I'm sorry." He whispered softly in her ear, his fingers stroking her hair. He couldn't believe that he was hugging a woman on a battlefield. "Fuck you made me soft, Sherry." He kissed her softly on the head. "You can't give up on life, super girl. Please." He made her look at him, pulling her chin up to meet his gaze. "Never give up, no matter the odds."

They stared into each other's eyes, a familiar feeling between the two of them in the distance. Their nostalgia was interrupted by the BSAA's helicopter being shot down above their heads. Jake grabbed her and leaped out of the way, like he always did. Only his reflexes could save her. Only he could keep her safe. Only Sherry could save him from himself. They lay there for a moment too long, Jake staring deeply into her eyes, into her soul. "You're so much stronger than me, super girl. Please, remember who you are." Sherry gave a soft nod, pulling herself from the depths of hell. "If it wasn't for you, Sherry, I would have sold my soul to anyone that day, not just my blood. You really did save me." Sherry smiled softly, pulling Jake up. He was right. She was better than this and there was no time to grieve right now.  
"Jake!" Sherry shook her head, "The DSO is going to be all over this! We have to get you out of here!"  
"Yeah, no shit." Jake shook his head, "We better find Redfield in this mess."

* * *

A large army truck came to a screeching halt at the foot of the driveway. Some BSSA troops emptied out of it. Jake and Sherry continued to look for Chris, until a familiar redhead called out. "Sherry?" Jake and Sherry snapped their heads around at Claire Redfield.  
"Claire!" Sherry ran to her friend with open arms. Jake stayed where he was. Claire looked around at the empty side of the house.  
"Where's Chris?"  
"He's still trying to secure the place." Sherry shook her head. Jake walked passed them to inspect the front door.  
"Sherry!" He called out to them, "Front door is intact. Maybe your friend is alright." Sherry gave Jake a nod and he kicked the door down, pointing his gun inside the room. Claire took her handgun out as well, Sherry and Claire flanking Jake. They went in to the kitchen. Several beams had fallen into the kitchen and the roof was caving in but the island was still intact.  
"Sam?" Sherry called out as Jake and Claire helped her remove the beams. A couple BSAA troops came in to join them. They couldn't see anything past the kitchen.

"I'm here!" Sam called out, trapped beneath the island. Sherry's heart skipped a beat. Jake rolled his eyes. The doors were jammed.  
"Stand back!" Jake called out then began to kick at the door until the hinge broke. Jake got down on all fours, peering through the darkness. He reached his hand in and tried to pull Sam out.  
"My foot's caught!" Sam shook his head. Sherry looked around the room. There was no telling how bad the rest of the cabin was.  
"I'll help!" Sherry pushed past Jake and slid her petite frame under the island. She climbed on top of Sam and began trying to pull the debris away. An explosion rocked the house overhead. The group stumbled around as debris came down from the roof.  
"Sherry," Jake yelled, removing a beam that blocked their exit, "The whole place is coming down!"  
"Just give me a minute!" Sherry struggled with Sam's shoe, trying to pull him out from the rubble. She grunted as she pulled on him.  
"We don't have any time!" Jake grabbed Sherry by the foot, dragging her out of the cupboard. She grabbed onto Sam, successfully freeing him with Jake's strength. Another beam fell and Sherry cried out in pain. It separated the group from Sam. The BSAA guys finally helped, lifting the beam off of Sherry's now broken arm. She pulled it against her body, craddling it as it mended. Jake grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her to face him. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"Hey!" Claire pulled Jake away from Sherry by the shoulder, "It's called being human. Don't be so hard on her!" Jake stared her down coldly but said nothing. He leaped at Claire, pushing her out of the way of more debris came down. Claire gasped as Jake rolled through the doorway before releasing her.  
"Fuck!" Jake smashed his fist into the ground as the house collapsed in front of him. "Sherry!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, jumping onto the pile of rubble as he searched for her with his bare hands. Claire fired some rounds at J'avo that still pursued Jake, covering him.  
"Jake!" She cried out, "There's too many of them!" Claire's eyes went wide as one of the J'avo she shot mutated, growing a huge arm with a blade at the end. She gasped out a cry as she slipped on a patch of ice under the snow covered cement, dodging the attack. She emptied her gun into the J'avo's head and pulled out her combat knife.

"Jake!" She shot him a quick glance as more J'avo flanked her. More were approaching from the top of the rubble pile that was once Jake and Sherry's house. "We need to find my brother or get more BSAA here or something! There's too many!" She threw her empty gun at Jake's back, trying to snap him back to reality. He ignored, her still digging. "Jake!" Claire turned and dove for cover as a grenade rolled down the rubble from one of the J'avo. She ran toward the BSAA's truck, the explosion throwing her down the driveway. Jake was also propelled by the blast. He rolled to Claire's feet with a loud grunt.  
"Fuckin' son of a..." Jake came to a stop on all fours, holding his head up. He looked at Claire, she was fine. He scrambled to the house once more. The blast had cleared some of the rubble. He dug with his hands agian, speaking softly to himself as he continued his search. "C'mon, super girl." He pulled out two chared bodies, both were BSAA troops. Claire joined in the dig, not knowing what else to do. The J'avo seemed to be preoccupied with something else for now if they weren't all dead.

"Claire?" Chris Redfield ran over the top of the rubble pile with some of his men. Claire huffed at him. Chris frowned at the two bodies in the snow. He barked out some orders to secure the area. One of his men jumped into the BSAA truck and used an emergency broadcasting speaker, telling everyone to evacuate the the designated area.

"About time you showed up!" Claire shook her head as if she was disappointed. Chris smiled softly at her.  
"Yeah, I always leave you searching for me, right?"  
"What, are you seriously tryin' to piss me off?" Jake growled at the two of them. "Shut up already and dig!" Chris ordered some of his troops over to assist in digging.  
"Was the civilian recovered?" He asked Jake. Jake ignored him, swearing under his breath.  
"No." Claire shook her head, "Sherry and Sam are under here... somwhere." She sighed softly.  
"She's still alive." Jake growled, "Sherry isn't as weak as she looks." He threw his jacket off and tossed it down into the snow. After a while, Chris said he had to leave, to make sure the evacuation point was secure. Jake nodded. He knew Chris had his job to do. He couldn't risk the entire town for two people that were likely dead. Claire offered to stay behind. Chris put in a call for mining equipment but their ETA was four hours to get it. With the storm raging on, the equipment would be delayed.

Jakes brow was full of sweat and his breath ragged but he kept going. Claire had taken a shovel from Chris' vehicle and was clearing the snow that kept piling up, hindering their efforts. She admired the determination in Jake, seeing for the first time that Jake did give a damn about something. Jake pursed his lips, fighting pain and fatigue. He wasn't in good shape before the fight and his anxiety was taking it's toll on him. He pushed himself harder as he dug a deep cavern into the rubble. Claire paused, trying to catch her breath. She opened the first aid kit that Chris had left for her. Jake kept digging.

"Hey." She called to him. "It's been two hours. You have to be alive if you're going to find her." She touched his shoulder lightly and he spun around to brush her hand away. Claire grabbed his hand as he swatted her and pulled him to the floor. Jake fell over easily, exhausted from his search. Claire caught him and steadied him to sit down. She pushed a bottle of water at him and began to bandage his hands.

"I love her as much as you, Jake." She shook her head, "She's my little sister, a daughter even. But..." She let her eyes rest on Jake, who was looking away, unable to face whatever she was about to say, "You have to think of yourself, too. I'm not saying to give up but let's be smart about this." She finished bandaging him and got up to grab Jake's jacket. He went to stand and she pushed him back down on his ass. "Wait there a minute." Claire's gaze was harder than Jake's as she stared him down. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. It was cold and he was soaked from sweat and snow. He felt his body shiver for the first time in hours. He had been shivering for a while but his frustration had drowned it out. Claire forced his arms into his jacket as Jake reluctantly gave into the fact that he was human.  
"I don't care whose genes and what enhancement you have." She smiled softly at him as she inspected the bandages on his hands. "You are still human." Jake looked up at her, then looked away.

"Am I?" He scoffed, crossing his arms again. His eyes opened and closed slowly as he looked out at the snow around him. He scoffed again before he let his gaze land on her. Claire was still looking at him softly. He shivered in the snow and lit up a cigarette before continuing. He pointed at Claire, "You and my super girl, are the only two people who think that." He nodded softly. "Thanks for the compliment but I lost humanity a long time ago." He looked over at the snow piling over their work. He put his hand out for the shovel. "Thanks to Sherry, I may have some hope for redemption." He shook his head and took one last drag of his smoke before flicking it off of the pile. He dug down in the snow, taking rubble with it as he whistled a tune. Claire stared at him, pondering his words. The scar on his face and the look in his eyes told her that this man, despite being nearly half her age, saw a lot more chaos than she ever experienced and that was to say a lot. He was a tortured soul, just like Sherry. Poor Sherry. If only Claire and Leon could have done more but give her hope. Jake tossed the shovel aside and began to work with his hands again. Claire climbed down into the cavern with him.

Jake stopped, going silent for a moment. "Shh." He whispered at Claire, looking around. He walked gently around the rubble, then squatted down in one spot. He dug furiously for a minute, finding a small gap in the rubble. He undid the bandages on his hand and reached down. His bare hand brushed something soft and wet. "I think I found something." A glimmer of hope was in his eyes but his face showed how afraid he was. Fingers. Covered in blood. "Here!" He called to Claire as he dug some more. The small, delicate hand was covered in blood but unmistakable. He rolled down Sherry's sleeve and felt for a pulse. "She's alive!" He breathed a sigh of reliif and began to pull gently on her arm, wanting to save her but afraid he'd hurt her. Claire dug some more while Jake continued to pull gently. The floor gave out under them, Jake falling into the hole below.  
"Jake!" Claire lay flat and peered over the hole.  
"I'm fine!" He began to dig some more. After a moment he called back up to Claire.  
"Have you got any rope or somethin?"  
"No!" Claire shook her head. Neither of them had planned this out. She looked in the bag her brother had left her. "Good old Chris." She called back cheerily. She tossed it down to Jake. He put some safety knots and threw it back up to her. "See if you can pull that around something then put it on."  
"Okay!" She called back, looking for a beam. She wrapped it around the railing in front of the porch, then slipped the rope on and tightened it, pulling with both hands. "Ready!"

Jake pushed Sam up and out of the place, trying to help Claire. "He's out!" Jake called out to her. She untied the rope and pulled out her cellphone. "Better call that medichopper!" Jake called back.  
"I know, I'm on it!" Claire called back. Jake shook his head. Claire might have been more humaine but she shared his attitude when it came to being bossed around. He tightened the bandages on his hands and continued to dig. He had found Sherry before, it was only a matter of time. The snow was beginning to pile up again, drowning out the little moonlight he was working with. He bit his lip, drawing blood. He focused on it, trying to drown out the pain in his body. His arms were going numb, his heart was beating a mile a minute, he had to find her. A lock of dirty covered blonde hair glowed in the moonlight. Finally, here she was but in how many pieces? Everytime he took out of piece of debris, more fell on top of him from above.  
"C'mon, really?" He growled, "For fuck's sake." The medical helicopter came down on the road near the end of the driveway, throwing more snow on Jake as it's propeller whipped up the snow. "Claire, tell them to turn that fuckin' engine off!"

After a minute the chopper flew away and Claire joined Jake. "What the fuck?" He raised his brow, a look of anger across his face. She picked up the other harnessed end of the rope with a sigh, shaking her head.  
"Don't worry." She smiled, "It's still looped through the fence." She looked Jake over. She could see why Sherry would be all over him. He looked pretty hot sweaty and covered in dirt. His jacket was on the floor again. It was sweet how he put Sherry before himself. He may be a loud mouthed asshole but he had a heart of gold.  
"Let's save blondie, okay?" She gave Jake a reassuring nod with a soft smile, then began to dig with him again. "If I don't help you're going to kill youself and Sherry will never forgive me if I let that happen." Jake smirked at her with a look of warmth in his eyes. He gave her a wink.  
"Thank you."  
"What, I don't get a nickname?" She asked through her pants as they dug through the rubble.  
"Not right now, unless you want a generic Lindsay Lohan Firecrotch reference." Jake chuckled.  
"Mmm... Not really." Claire shook her head. They were digging from the top down, stepping over the piles of debris they were creating. "Almost there!" She smiled.  
"I could just call you Captain Obvious." He smiled, "You're usually just refered to as the Jarhead's sister." Claire laughed.  
"Boy do I like that name for my brother. He's really just an overgrown teddybear in a suit."

Finally, they pulled Sherry out. She was alive but unconscious. Jake kissed her forehead softly. "I knew you were alive, super girl. Claire smiled softly.  
"Hey, you two can get a room later, okay? Let's get out before this place comes crashing down on us!" Jake nodded. Claire helped Jake out first. It made sense that he'd pull the two of them up. She put one arm around Sherry and held the rope with the other, kicking off the wall as she went up. On the last step, the cavern gave out. She cried out with a gasp, pulling Sherry against her body with both hands.  
"Claire!?" Jake caled out to them.  
"We're okay!" She called back, "The rubble is unstable!"  
"Just, go easy on it, okay?" He called out as calmly as he could.  
"Yeah, okay!" Claire called back, not masking the worry in her voice, "Easier said than done!"  
The medichopper showed back up again, throwing snow everywhere. A man was lowered down with a harness. Claire could feel the rubble moving beneath her. "Um... There isn't any time!" She handed Sherry to the BSAA medic. As the chopper lifted Sherry, the floor gave away.

Jake went bounding up the rubble. "What is it with you women!" He called out, snatching up Claire and running up the pile of rubble. He turned, throwing Claire over his shoulder as he went to leap into the chopper, barely missing the blades. He rolled through the doors and helped Claire to her feet.  
"You almost killed me!" Claire yelled at him.  
"You're welcome." He scoffed with a smirk. "Any day, babe." He crossed his arms and began to pace the small chopper.

It wasn't the standard Chinook he was used to riding in. He ignored the requests to be seated and pressed his hand to the roof for support, his eyes never leaving Sherry. He recognized the doctor. "Chambers?" They frowned at each other. The last time they met, Jake had taken Sheva "hostage" and jumped out of the helicopted. Sheva had helped him escape custody when the investigation on Jake first started. Sherry was wounded that time as smiled softy.  
"She'll recover." She shook her head slightly, "She is sherry Birkin after all." Jake scoffed. He still cared, even if he knew she was super human.  
"It's a pleasure seeing you again." He smiled, remembering that she was also the doctor present when he had lost his memories. He chuckled to himself. He had scared the shit out of her and it was hilarious.  
"Sure." She brushed his comment off, "Just don't go trashing my workspace again." Claire raised her eyebrow as Jake chuckled again.  
"I'm not even going to ask."

* * *

**Untitled**

Sam was fine when they found him, just unconscious. Sherry had shielded him with her own body. That's why she was so hard to find in the rubble. She took a little longer to get up. Four hours had passed since Jake found her. He had taken a nap in the empty medical bed beside Sherry's only to be awoken by Sherry calling another man's name. She was looking for Sam. That was her first thought upon waking. She flew out of the room as if she hadn't even seen Jake, like what they had been through, all he had done to save her, was nothing. He had said nothing up until now.

"So is this how it is? I'm just your dirty little secret now?" Jake paced the room. Here he was, arguing with the woman he loved, embarrassed in a room full of people. Dr. Chambers, Claire, Sam, Sherry and a handful of BSAA soldiers, the BSAA's Alaskan communications team. Sherry stood her ground, giving him reasons not to come. Yet Sam was to be their guide.  
"Jake, I can't risk you being caught. Someone from the DSO is sure to show up within the hour. It doesn't take that long to fly to Alaska!"  
"Yeah, but uh, your buddy gets to go along for the ride? What's he have that I don't, Sherry? Just a sense of direction?"  
"He knows the land, Jake. We lost communication with Chris hours ago and there isn't anyone left to go looking for an entire town of people!"  
"I'm also in the Army Reserve." Sam piped up. Jake made a talking expression with his hand, mocking Sam.  
"Didn't seem like you had any experience for anythin' but hide and go seek to me." Jake shook his head with a smirk. He chuckled, "'Fore I saved your ass."  
"Jake," Sherry called his name sharply, "Please. I need to protect you. You need to stay behind and wait here or..."  
"Yeah, your boss will hand me over." He shook his head, "You know what? That's fine. It's better than stayin' in this shit place with you." He stormed onto the helicopter and took a seat. "I'd rather take my chances trying to find a man with some kind of honor, saving the town, than hidin' with the Indian in the Cupboard." Claire put her hand on Sherry's shoulder.  
"Sherry," she smiled softly, seeing the tears in Sherry's eyes, "You came here to protect him, I know that." Sherry looked away and Claire turned her around, "Whatever happened to you two," she noticed Sam staring at them, "I'm sure you can deal with it later. There is no way anyone is keeping Jake from helping you. You know that more than me." Sherry nodded and reluctantly climbed the chopper.

Rebecca handed out earpieces and watches. "Okay, we need to check in every ten minutes. We have another team coming up here in a few hours for backup." Rebecca looked around. The only person listening to her were the five remaining BSAA agents. She sighed, as she continued, pointing to a map that was blown up on the screen. "This is city hall, where the survivors were supposed to meet up. Unfortunately, city hall has fallen. We don't yet know what virus they are using but it appears to be the C-Virus. We don't know who the terrorists are or what they want, no one has come forward with any demands."  
"Just like Tall Oaks." Claire sighed.  
"Yes." Rebecca nodded, "Exactly." She cleared her throat and continued. "We need to search the area, check the police station's records and see if there is a secondary escape plan."  
"Wait, you don't know that shit already?" Jake growled, "Isn't there some US Army base up here or some shit?" Rebecca nodded, frowning.  
"We sent them in, about two hours ago. They are the ones that told us about city hall falling. They were wiped out." Sherry's eyes went wide.  
"All of them?" Jake and Claire exchanged looks with each other. Jake threw his arms out.  
"What the fuck are we doin' goin' there then? It's suicide! Let it rot, just like China."  
"Jake!" Sherry got angry again. She furrowed her brows at him, speaking calmly as her eyes blazed with emotion. "Claire's brother is in there. We have to help the BSAA, after all they have done for us. What about the people in the town?"  
"Oh, fuck the town." Jake waved his hand in the air, rolling his eyes with a scoff before crossing his arms. "Let it all burn."  
"We were the first ones hit, Jake. You can't tell me this has nothing to do with us!"  
"Yeah?" Jake smirked, cocking his head. "So, tell me then. Who's the mole, huh? Someone in the BSAA? Or your sidekick?" Sam stood up and punched Jake in the face. Sherry jumped onto her feet and pushed Sam away, making him sit down. Jake cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders. "Okay, Mr. punch a guy when he's chillin' out with his arms crossed lookin' out the window." He cracked his neck, "You want some now? Or when we get on the ground."  
"Jake!" Sherry got to her feet, "You have no right after..."

Jake narrowed his eyes at her. Their argument was halted as the helicopter rocked. It rocked another few times. Jake scooped Sherry into his arms as she staggered to the ground. She was grateful but gave him a dirty look. He let her go abruptly and she hit her head inches above the ground. He returned to his seat. "Well, that sure as fuck ain't turbulence." Smoke began to fill the cabin as an alarm went off. Claire looked out the window, seeing J'avo with rocket launchers on the ground. She ducked against the seat, grabbing onto it as the helicopter rocked once more. The pilot and co-pilot began to argue as everyone began to lift from their seats.  
"Everyone get a chute! We're going down!"

Jake grabbed Sherry, pulling her down against the seat. He pulled himself against her. Claire grabbed Rebecca, doing the same. Sherry grabbed onto Sam, who grabbed Jake. Jake punched Sam off of him. Sam punched Jake back before he got stuck to the ceiling. Sherry slapped Jake for not helping Sam. The BSAA troops threw parachutes around, being the only ones that knew where they were. Claire stared at the the chaos going on, grabbing a chute for herself and Rebecca. As soon as everyone had a chute on, the back doors opened. The plain spilled its contents and passengers outside.

The helicopter crashed into the police station, taking out one of the wings. Everyone was thrown around in different areas. Claire woke first to the sound of a scream. A J'avo had killed two of the BSAA agents. She stumbled to her feet, looking for survivors. Two dead BSAA guys lay close to her, both obviously killed from the fall. She took out her handgun and shot the J'avo in her area before checking the third's vitals. This one was alive. This left Jake, Sam, Dr. Chambers, the pilots and one more BSAA agent. Not everyone made it as they barely had time to pull their chutes and now J'avo were everywhere. The pilots didn't seem to have gotten out in time. She found Sam first. "Hey, wake up!" She shook him awake and pulled him to his feet. "You better have a gun cus it's not too pretty out here!" She shot a J'avo behind Sam.  
"Claire!" Sherry stumbled through the snow, shooting anything that got in her way. Claire waved to her.  
"I'm okay. Have you seen Dr. Chambers?" Sherry shielded her eyes from the sun bouncing off of the snow. It was now daylight.  
"No," She called back, "Is that Sam? Where's Jake?"  
"I don't know!" Claire called back, "We don't have enough ammo for this. Either we find the guns or we raid the police station."  
Sherry caught up to Claire and gave her a nod of agreement. The three moved in formation, Sam leading them to the police station. Sherry tried to use her earpiece but all she got was fuzz. She saw the four bodies of BSAA soldiers. "We have to find Jake and Chambers," she shook her head at Claire, "The last BSAA agent died near me. J'avo got him. It's what woke me up." Claire nodded with a frown.  
"Yeah, that's how I got up, too."

The three had run out of ammo. Luckily, all three melee weapons. Claire still had the one her brother gave her as a teen. Sam, a true Alaskan, never left home without a hunting knife. Sherry traded in her stun rod for a taser. It was smaller and easier to carry. Luckily they had only a few mutations to deal with. The girls approached the small police station, banging on the door. No one opened it. The gave each other a nod then both turned and kicked in the doors.  
"Wow." Sam smiled, "Remind me not to come around when you girls are on your rag." They both shot Sam a dirty look with a chuckle. The fun was cut short by what they found inside. Sherry gasped. Claire shook her head.  
"It's just like Raccoon City." They stepped over several bodies as they took in the sight. Blood covered the floor, the walls. Most of the bodies were covered with bullet holes, the ones further in were eaten.  
"It just keeps happening." Sherry's voice was full of sorrow. "No matter how many times we try." They heard gunshots down a hallway A shotgun to be exact. Sherry and Claire ran cautiously down the hall, Sam trailing behind.  
"Are you sure you're army reserve?" Claire chuckled. Sherry and Claire gave each other a look before opening the next door. Sherry went first, pointing her gun in first. She couldn't see who was shooting but she knew from the Tall Oaks reports what lay ahead. She turned to Sam and Claire.  
"Run!" She cried out, "...And cover your mouths! Don't breathe the gas in!"  
"Aren't you coming with us?" Claire asked desperately.  
"No, find the armory! We'll meet later! Someone has to have a key to the armory!" Sherry smiled softly. "I'll be fine!"  
"Okay, Sherry. I trust you." Claire grabbed the reluctant Sam by his shoulder and ran to another door.

Sherry covered her mouth, coughing at the cloud of gas. The C-Virus was made from her genetic profile and she was immune to most other viruses because of her G-Virus. The gas still burned her nose, throat and eyes. Whoever had shot the pale, fat monster covered with gas sacks, was now also coughing in the smoke. She ran up to the thing and gave if a few swift kicks, then a sweep kick to the floor. She used her taser on it. All it did was release more gas. Sherry began to choke as the oxygen levels dropped in the room. She needed oxygen to regenerate. She fell to her knees. This was a stupid plan. A hand reached out and pulled her to safety, dragging her below the gas. Whoever it was dragged her out of the room and down a hallway to another room. She coughed, her lungs recovering but she had trouble seeing. They lifted her and placed her on a bench, then reloaded their gun. Sherry stood up, feeling the wall with her hands as her eyes cleared to reveal a familiar, scowling face with a scar on his left cheek. She bit her lip, ready to unload her unforgotten fury on him but her lips were unwilling silenced by his. The kiss was broken with a slap to his face.

"Jake! How dare you!"  
"Save your life?" He shrugged, "I know, I'm such an asshole." He cocked his head as he sighed and loaded his handgun, "You can thank me for digging your sorry ass out of the rubble that was once our temp home too, ya know." She stared at Jake's hands, not noticing the bandages before in her anger. She reached down as grabbed one of them. They were soaked with his blood. She was speechless. "Yeah," Jake shook his head lightly, going back to inspecting his weapons. "That's what I thought." He looked down the hallway. It was beginning to fill with gas as well. "I saved your buddy, too. Dug you guys out with my bare hands. Claire helped by clearing the snow. Your boy, Redfield..." he trailed off, letting his eyes rest on Sherry. "He gave up on you two." He shook his head as he rose to his feet, "Too bad you hate me so much." Jake walked down the hall and began to inspect the zombies he killed, looking for more weapons. One was a BSAA agent. "Ahhh..." He smiled. "Incinary grenade." He looked over at Sherry, who was still lost in her own thoughts on the bench. "You comin'? Or is finding Redfield a solo thing." He opened the doors at the end of the hall, threw in the grenade and re-closed the doors, chuckling at the explosion. He reopened the door. The monster's bits were scattered all over the room, the gas now clearing. "God it's fun to vandalize police property."


	21. FanFic Overhaul

**I feel it's important that I post this Author's Note before continuing!**

Hello FanFiction Net and DeviantArt Com :) Going to blog about my fanfic on DeviantArt

**#1 group chapters appropriately using the #1 thing I hate, page breaks O_O - done  
**This has been a success. I only need to add italics where needed again and possibly some more minor editing. I am planning on making my last fic my resident evil 6.5 story so that means I need to backtrack and finish up my Jake and Sherry stuff, possibly posting the new fic as a new story as it's not just Jake and Sherry but who knows since they are still my passion and focus.

**#2 correct story index - done**

**#3 re-write accidentally over-written chapters** Still pissed about this, hence the over-haul for easier updating. I also found one important scene was over-written and I am so not happy grrr... It's a love-scene but more like THE love scene. The first time Jake and Sherry actually shack up. :( Will rewrite that first asap.

**#4 RESIDENT EVIL 6.5** I have a huge, plotted, game-style/sized story in my current adventure in Alaska. It will involve a police station (there already), Mansion, Oil refinery, possibly a mine, and for sure an oil rig and possibly a boat. At first, I thought I was throwing too many people in since I like to keep my stories short and to the point but no, I want to do this and I enjoy game-writing :)

**#5 Chapters will be longer and only updated weekly** instead of daily due to the 50 chap limit I keep hitting and it keeps messing me up. I'm sorry to the fans that pm me with "we need more" but I don't want to compromise quality for the sake of quantity. **If I can't enjoy my own fic when written I won't post it! Never have, never will :)**

**#6 Back ups will be done weekly**

**#7 New laptop** looking into buying a petite laptop and possibly doing professional writing. It seems my kid only likes attention when she sees me on a computer and not when I am sitting and doing nothing while she watches tv so at least I can protect the mini laptop from her throwing things at it. She has destroyed my HD laptop and it's pretty bad LOL No, I don't neglect her but she can be the pain in the ass when she wants to :) Got it from her momma XD

**#8 Magic Merc** (The Jake Stripper Post-RE story) will become a **holiday special** from now on.

**#9 Resident Evil / Fat Princess comedy will start eventually, possibly a holiday special, ** I might call it "A Fistful of Jake"

**Thanks to my followers for listening in and new people for checking it out.**

**Have a great day,**

**FashionFable**


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